For Immediate Release
Washington DC – May 27, 2022
Contact: (202) 547-3686
IN LIGHT OF SENATE’S FAILURE TO PASS DOMESTIC TERRORISM LEGISLATION, TAIWANESE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT URGING THE FBI, STATE DEPARTMENT AND CONGRESS TO TAKE RESOLUTE ACTION
On May 26, the Senate failed to pass a domestic terrorism bill that had cleared the House on May 18. This comes after the mass shootings at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York on May 14, at a Taiwanese Presbyterian church in Laguna Woods, California on May 15, and a massacre of 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas on May 24.
These mass shootings mark a watershed moment in the Taiwanese American community’s long-term fight for freedom and democracy. The Taiwanese American organizations listed below are united in calling on the FBI, the State Department and Congress to take resolute action.
They urge
- the Federal Bureau of Investigation to list the NACPU as a domestic terrorist organization and investigate its actions as a foreign agent — actions that enable hate violence and Chinese propaganda;
- the State Department to demand accountability from the PRC for the terrorist actions of its foreign missions and agents; and
- members of Congress to call more attention to the fact that a foreign government, with a deep distrust of the United States, is actively sponsoring and directing the radicalization of pro-China groups and individuals in the U.S. to the point where Taiwanese American citizens are targeted simply for their heritage, identity, and political beliefs.
Here is the full statement:
STATEMENT BY JOINT TAIWANESE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS IN LIGHT OF LAGUNA WOODS CHURCH SHOOTING
May 27, 2022
The Taiwanese American community is still reeling from the horrendous mass shooting at the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church on Sunday, May 15 in Laguna Woods, California, where a gunman killed one Taiwanese person and wounded five others at a celebratory luncheon.
The killer, who was apparently motivated by political hatred toward the Taiwanese community, planned to massacre the entire congregation in the Taiwanese church. It was only foiled by the heroic sacrifice of Dr. John Cheng, who died trying to stop the gunman.
The joint Taiwanese American organizations and the collective Taiwanese American community join the families of the victims in grief, and we pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded survivors.
It has become clear that the gunman is affiliated with the “National Association for China’s Peaceful Unification” or NACPU, a China-controlled organization that promotes the annexation of Taiwan by China while fanning hatred toward Taiwanese people and pro-Taiwan supporters.
In 2020, the U.S. State Department had designated the NACPU, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party’s “United Front Work Department” (UFWD), as a “foreign mission” of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
In the aftermath of the Laguna Woods church shooting, we, the joint Taiwanese American organizations, urge –
- – the Federal Bureau of Investigation to list the NACPU as a domestic terrorist organization and investigate its actions as a foreign agent — actions that enable hate violence and Chinese propaganda;
- – the State Department to demand accountability from the PRC for the terrorist actions of its foreign missions and agents; and
- – members of Congress to call more attention to the fact that a foreign government, with a deep distrust of the United States, is actively sponsoring and directing the radicalization of pro-China groups and individuals in the U.S. to the point where Taiwanese American citizens are targeted simply for their heritage, identity, and political beliefs.
Let’s work and unite together to stop these China-controlled organizations from spreading hatred toward the Taiwanese community and pro-Taiwan supporters!
台美人團體針對「爾灣台灣長老教會槍擊案」的共同聲明
2022年5月27日
5 月 15 日星期天，一名槍手闖入南加州拉古納伍茲鎮（Laguna Woods）的「爾灣台灣基督長老教會」行兇，造成一死五傷的慘劇。台美人社群對此駭人聽聞的大規模槍擊事件，仍感到無比震驚與哀傷。
兇手的犯罪行機顯然出於對台灣人社區的政治仇恨，並預謀屠殺當時在台灣人教會內的全體會眾。此一仇恨屠殺計畫因台裔醫師鄭達志（Dr. John Cheng）的英勇犧牲而挫敗。他為了阻止槍手而不幸喪生。
台美人團體及全體台美人社群與受害家屬們共同哀悼，亦期盼傷者能早日康復。
證據顯示，行兇的槍手隸屬於「中國和平統一促進會」（National Association for China’s Peaceful Unification），簡稱「統促會」或 NACPU。此一由中方所控制的統戰組織，意圖推動中國吞併台灣，同時煽動對台灣人民及台灣支持者的仇恨。
2020 年，美國國務院已將中國共產黨統戰部所控制的「統促會」指定為中華人民共和國的「外國使團」（foreign mission）。
在此次台裔教會槍擊案發生後，我們台美人組織共同敦促：
- 美國聯邦調查局（FBI）應將中國所控制的「統促會」列為美國國內恐怖組織，並嚴查此組織作為外國代理人（foreign agent）所促成的仇恨暴力和中國大外宣行動。
- 美國國務院應針對中華人民共和國的外國使團與代理人所進行的恐怖行動，追究相關責任。
- 美國國會議員應呼籲對以下事實予以更多關注：一個美國所強烈不信任的外國政府正積極地贊助與煽動在美親中團體與個人的激進化，以致於台裔美國公民僅因他們的傳承、身分認同和政治信仰就成為仇恨攻擊的目標。
讓我們團結起來並付諸行動，共同阻止中國附隨組織們繼續在美國散播對台灣人社群及對台灣支持者的仇恨！
Signatories:
Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) 台灣人公共事務會
North American Taiwanese Medical Association (NATMA) 北美臺灣人醫師協會
North American Taiwanese Professors’ Association (NATPA) 北美洲台灣人教授協會
Taiwanese Association of America (TAA-USA) 全美台灣同鄉會
World Taiwanese Congress (WTC) 世界台灣人大會
Formosan Association for Public Relations (FAPR) 台灣人公共關係會
World United Formosans for Independence (WUFI-USA) 台灣獨立建國聯盟美國本部
North America Taiwanese Women’s Association (NATWA) 北美洲臺灣婦女會