The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation could face penalties for remarks made by a member of the Chinese student delegation

Taipei: According to Taiwanese Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng, the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation could be penalized for a remark made by a Chinese student delegation, the Taipei Times said on Wednesday.

According to the Taipei Times, a student from Fudan University in China congratulated the “China, Taipei” team for winning the Premier12 baseball tournament in Tokyo during a foundation-sponsored exchange.

During an Internal Administration Committee hearing, lawmakers asked Chiu whether the remarks were against rules for Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan. According to the Taipei Times, Chiu said the comments were intolerable, calling them cruel and disparaging to Taiwan. According to him, the remarks most certainly broke the rules governing consent for mainland residents to enter Taiwan.

According to the Taipei Times, Chiu said, “The remarks wounded the sentiments of Taiwanese and denigrated Taiwan; they are intolerable to the people of Taiwan.”

The foundation could also have violated its contract with the government, which forbids political speech or propaganda for Chinese organizations traveling to Taiwan, he said. Chiu said the council will take administrative measures when the delegation returned to China. With possible prohibitions ranging from one to five years, the student may be subject to harsher assessments for subsequent trips to Taiwan. According to the minister, depending on how serious the situation is, the foundation may also be prohibited from hosting other organizations for a duration ranging from six months to five years.