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Chen Shui-bian reveals 'lost journey' was due to 'his' leak! Wang Jin-pyng refutes

From Liberty Times · (11m ago) Chinese Mixed tone

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian accused Wang Jin-pyng of leaking information that led to China pressuring his aircraft during a 2006 trip.
  • Wang Jin-pyng denied the accusation, stating that the presidential plane could not transmit messages and that the flight path was deduced by media using maps and fuel calculations.
  • Wang criticized Chen's claims as fabricating a story based on outcomes and misinterpreting media work, expressing helplessness over the political accusations.

Liberty Times, a prominent Taiwanese newspaper, reports on a spat between former President Chen Shui-bian and former Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng regarding a 2006 international trip. Chen alleges Wang's leaked information caused China to interfere with his presidential aircraft. Wang vehemently denies this, calling Chen's claims a fabrication based on hindsight and a misunderstanding of journalistic practices.

This is fabricating a story based on outcomes, extending political language and interpretation. Ah Bian, you are really wrong.

— Wang Jin-pyngResponding to former President Chen Shui-bian's accusation of leaking information.

Wang, who was part of the delegation as chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce, stated that even those on the plane were initially unaware of the destination, which was eventually revealed to be Abu Dhabi or Dubai. He questioned how a presidential plane, incapable of transmitting messages, could have been involved in a leak. Wang credits the media, specifically Eastern Television, with deducing the flight path through meticulous research involving maps, fuel calculations, and identifying friendly nations for potential stops.

How could the presidential plane transmit any information? By carrier pigeon?

— Wang Jin-pyngQuestioning the possibility of a leak from the presidential aircraft.

This exchange highlights a recurring theme in Taiwanese politics where past events are reinterpreted through a political lens. Wang's defense emphasizes the professional integrity of journalists and criticizes the politicization of their work. From Taiwan's perspective, this incident is not just about a past diplomatic trip but also about the ongoing political rivalries and the differing narratives that emerge from them. The way such events are framed often reflects the current political climate and the public's perception of the individuals involved, with media outlets playing a crucial role in shaping these narratives.

The truth is that the Eastern Television team used maps, calculated fuel, and estimated the flight path, cross-referencing friendly countries where they could land, and deduced the location step by step.

— Wang Jin-pyngExplaining how Eastern Television determined the aircraft's location.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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