Taiwan mulls opening Kaohsiung military academy to Chinese visitors

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said it is considering whether to open a military academy in Kaohsiung to Chinese tourists after an opposition lawmaker made the proposal in an attempt to boost tourism.

However, the MND said in a released statement that related laws need to be amended first before the R.O.C. Military Academy will be able to allow tourists from the other side of the Taiwan Strait to visit.

The government should also consider possible negative impacts if it ultimately decides to open the military academy to Chinese tourists, it added.

The MND’s comment came in response to the proposal made by opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Hsu Chih-chieh.

According to Hsu, the academy, formerly known as Whampoa Military Academy when the R.O.C. government was still based in China, will be a popular tourism spot for Chinese tourists.

However, the existing Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area prohibits Chinese tourists from visiting sensitive military facilities during their travels in Taiwan.

Hsu said local residents and Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu had all previously called on the military to open the academy, but the MND has repeatedly denied the request, citing security reasons.

The DPP lawmaker, therefore, proposed to amend the existing laws to pave the way for opening the academy. However, given the fact that lawmakers have previously expressed concerns over national security issues concerning Chinese nationals in Taiwan, the MND urged lawmakers to be cautious about opening the academy.

Citing several recent examples of potential security leaks involving Chinese nationals in Taiwan, the MND calls on lawmakers and the central government to think twice before making a decision.

Sensitive Issue

Two examples the MND mentioned involve an ongoing wharf expansion project on Taiwan-controlled Taiping island in the South China Sea, which was previously suspended due to the alleged involvement of Chinese capital in the project.

Another case is the controversy caused by Mang Ming, a visiting Chinese national and descendant of a senior People’s Liberation Army officer, who organized a series of events over the past year in Taiwan to advocate Taiwan-China unification.

　　The Whampoa Military Academy was established by the Kuomintang (KMT) government in mainland China’s Guangzhou province on June 16, 1924. It was renamed the R.O.C. Military Academy on Nov. 5, 1927.

　　The R.O.C.-recognized school relocated to Kaohsiung in 1950 after the R.O.C. forces and KMT government relocated to Taiwan following the Chinese Civil War. The old academy compound in China’s Guangzhou is currently a memorial hall.