Taiwan’s push to dissolve pro-Beijing party triggers political censorship debate

Politicians divided over proposal to ban Chinese Unification Promotion Party after ministry says it jeopardises free and democratic constitutional order

The island’s interior ministry is seeking a Constitutional Court order to declare the CUPP unconstitutional and dissolve it, marking the first such action against a political party in Taiwan’s history.

“The CUPP has long been linked to organised crime, including cross-border offences,” Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang said at a briefing last week .

“Core party members have also repeatedly been implicated in alleged violations of the National Security Act, the Anti-Infiltration Act, election laws, the Organised Crime Prevention Act and other legislation.”

In a statement, the ministry said the CUPP’s objectives and activities endangered the existence of the Republic of China – the island’s official name – and Taiwan’s free and democratic constitutional order.