FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS
Taipei, June 12 (CNA) After the Presidential Office turned down former President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) application to visit Hong Kong earlier on Sunday, Ma's office said that the decision is inconvincible.
The decision not only disrespected the former head of state but also could tarnish international reputation of Taiwan's freedom and democracy, it said.
A special task force disapproved the application, citing concerns on the former president's importance, unusualness and sensitivity in national security, said Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺).
Ma had applied for permission to visit Hong Kong to deliver a speech at an award ceremony and dinner that will be hosted by the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) on June 15.
Ma's office said Ma's speech draft, name list of the entourage and relevant information had been submitted to the Presidential Office on June 7. Ma planned to go to Hong Kong and, after a 7-hour stay there, return to Taiwan the same day, the office said, adding that all Ma's visit arrangement is open and transparent.
Citing the Presidential Office's concerns on safeguarding, Ma's office said former President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), and former vice presidents Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) had made various overseas trips before, but there have never been heard of any safeguarding concerns from national security units. The Presidential Office's decision will make people to doubt that it might not be made from purely professional considerations, said the office.
The decision by the Presidential Office "is not persuasive," said Ma's office.
(By Claudia Liu and Kuo Chung-han)
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