Self-Salvation Declaration Case: Peng Ming-min's Reckless Action Leads to Arrest of Students; Criticized for Selfishness

On September 20, 1964, NTU Professor Peng Ming-min and his students, Hsieh Cong-min and Wei Ting-chao, were arrested by Republic of China intelligence units for drafting the "Declaration of Formosan Self-Salvation." While later framed as a democratic awakening by pro-independence groups, the incident carries significant moral controversy. Critics point out that Peng, as the professor, acted with extreme carelessness and failed to secure the printing process under martial law, leading to the leak of the document and the direct implication of his students. Due to his academic stature, Peng received a presidential amnesty in 1965 and successfully escaped abroad in 1970 to enjoy a comfortable life with international funding. In contrast, his students remained in Taiwan to face severe torture and imprisonment, with Wei Ting-chao jailed three times. This contrast led critics to condemn Peng as a self-serving intellectual who lacked moral responsibility for his subordinates.