TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese lawyer Lin Chih-chun (林智群) on Tuesday criticized the KMT Youth Affairs Development Committee for praising China’s Shenzhou-23 spacecraft launch, SETN reported.
KMT Youth Affairs Development Committee Chair Lien Sheng-wu (連勝武) led more than 20 high school and university students from Taiwan to China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The group said Monday on Facebook that it saw “a moment in history” when the rocket lifted off.
The committee described the launch as “stunning.” It said the students saw not only a rocket, but also people’s hopes for space and the future.
The committee also said the mission was meaningful because payload specialist Lai Ka-ying (黎家盈) became the first Hongkonger to join a Chinese space mission. The Shenzhou-23 mission launched from Jiuquan on Sunday and carried three astronauts to China’s Tiangong space station.
Lin questioned why the KMT felt proud of a Chinese rocket launch. He said the same rocket technology could be used in missiles aimed at young Taiwanese.
Lin also mocked the KMT as acting like a Chinese Communist Party branch in Taiwan. He said China’s space launch had nothing to do with the KMT and questioned why the party took pride in China’s achievement.
DPP caucus chief executive Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said the KMT youth group’s reaction was “a little crazy.” He said a rocket launch shows a country’s stronger defense power and asked why the group would cheer as China’s military strength grows, Liberty Times reported.
DPP lawmaker Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) said KMT youth members did not show the same excitement when Taiwan launched rockets or satellites. She said Taiwan has made progress in its space industry and should look to the world, not limit its future to China.
