TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部), the government agency overseeing domestic affairs including political party registration, announced on Friday (July 18) that the "Rehabilitation Alliance Party" (復康聯盟黨) has officially filed for voluntary dissolution. The minor political party submitted its disbandment application on Wednesday, citing insurmountable operational difficulties. This voluntary action effectively circumvented a more severe unconstitutional dissolution process that government officials had been preparing to initiate against the organization amid serious national security concerns.
The dissolution follows serious legal troubles for the party's leadership, particularly its chairman, Chu Hung-i (屈宏義), who now faces a decade behind bars after being convicted of multiple offenses, including critical violations of Taiwan's National Security Act (國安法). According to ministry officials, their investigation revealed that Chu and several other high-ranking party members allegedly accepted financial support from hostile foreign entities to establish the political organization, systematically recruit former military officers into leadership positions, and covertly collect and transmit sensitive military intelligence to foreign actors.
Judicial proceedings concluded on June 26 when a Taiwanese court handed down substantial prison sentences to Chu and his associates, with punishments ranging from 3 years and 6 months to the maximum 10-year term for the most serious offenders. Prior to the party's voluntary dissolution filing, ministry officials had been actively preparing legal documents to request a formal constitutional review that would have forcibly disbanded the organization—an extraordinary measure rarely employed in Taiwan's democratic system—but officials suspended these preparations once the party submitted its own application to dissolve.
In a stern warning accompanying the announcement, the Ministry of the Interior reminded all political organizations operating in Taiwan to strictly comply with the Political Parties Act (政黨法) and related national security legislation. Officials emphasized that accepting directives, assignments, or financial support from foreign entities constitutes a serious violation of Taiwan's sovereignty and security protocols. The ministry specifically cautioned citizens against unwittingly becoming instruments of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP, 中共) united front work — Beijing's long-standing strategy to influence foreign societies and politics — while urging continued vigilance in protecting Taiwan's democratic institutions and hard-won freedoms. ◼