Former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) son Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) and daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching (黃睿靚) made their first public appearance yesterday since being named defendants in an investigation into alleged money laundering by the former first family when the couple boarded an EVA Airways flight at New Jersey’s Newark International Airport bound for Taiwan.
EVA Flight BR031 is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan at 5:30am today.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Chen Chih-chung proclaimed his innocence and said that he and his wife were only figureheads, while rebutting accusations that he was directly involved in handling the money.
“We are purely figureheads in this [money wiring] case. Things were done in our name, but we are not clear on everything else [pertaining to the investigation],” he said. “We will go back [to Taiwan] and cooperate with the investigation.”
“I didn’t know about [having been used as a figurehead] until I arrived in the US and heard about it from the media,” Huang said. “Being named a defendant is a little over the top.”
Turning to their “disappearance,” the couple said that since Chen Chih-chung had initially intended to pursue a doctorate in law at the University of Virginia this fall, they had had to pack, cancel their rental car and end their apartment lease before returning
Chen Chih-chung’s return would be in time for a summons issued for him and his wife last week.
On Friday, Chu Chao-liang (朱朝亮), a spokesperson for the Supreme Prosecutor Office’s Special Investigation Panel, confirmed that prosecutors had issued a second summons ordering the couple in for questioning, adding that although it was the second summons, it was the first time the couple had been named defendants in the case.
Reacting to news of the couple’s return, Chu said the panel was glad they had decided to come back, adding that they would be asked to appear as defendants on Friday.
The couple would not be summoned at an earlier date, unless they requested it themselves, Chu said.
Chen Chih-chung said yesterday that the University of Virginia had been mistaken when it said he did not have a student ID, producing a University of Virginia student ID with his photograph and name from his wallet.
“I was at the student orientation activity for international students on [Aug. 11]; where I received my student ID and paid my tuition … The university said I did not have a student ID. This is inaccurate, because I do,” he said.
Last Monday, “I phoned the school to discuss what to do next, but they told me that if I wanted to attend school I would have to reapply next year,” he said.
Asked if the couple thought that the university was acting under pressure, Huang said: “The school had a drastic change in attitude … We felt that something was weird. We were quite surprised.”
Chen Chih-chung was speaking in response to comments by a public relations official from the school last week, who claimed that Chen Chih-chung had called last Monday to excuse himself from compulsory orientation, adding that his failure to show up had resulted in his losing his place in class.
As Chen Chih-chung did not complete the enrollment process, he failed to obtain a student ID, the spokesperson said.
The school denied that Taiwanese media had pressured it or suggested that Chen Chih-chung should not be allowed into the program.
Chen Shui-bian said on Friday the university had told his son not to attend because it could not stand the pressure from Taiwanese media.
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
UKRAINE, NVIDIA: The US leader said the subject of Russia’s war had come up ‘very strongly,’ while Jenson Huang was hoping that the conversation was good Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump had differing takes following their meeting in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Xi said that the two sides should complete follow-up work as soon as possible to deliver tangible results that would provide “peace of mind” to China, the US and the rest of the world, while Trump hailed the “great success” of the talks. The two discussed trade, including a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China for its role in the fentanyl trade, as well as cooperation in ending the war in Ukraine, among other issues, but they did not mention
HOTEL HIRING: An official said that hoteliers could begin hiring migrant workers next year, but must adhere to a rule requiring a NT$2,000 salary hike for Taiwanese The government is to allow the hospitality industry to recruit mid-level migrant workers for housekeeping and three other lines of work after the Executive Yuan yesterday approved a proposal by the Ministry of Labor. A shortage of workers at hotels and accommodation facilities was discussed at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee. A 2023 survey conducted by the Tourism Administration found that Taiwan’s lodging industry was short of about 6,600 housekeeping and cleaning workers, the agency said in a report to the committee. The shortage of workers in the industry is being studied, the report said. Hotel and Lodging Division Deputy Director Cheng
‘SECRETS’: While saying China would not attack during his presidency, Donald Trump declined to say how Washington would respond if Beijing were to take military action US President Donald Trump said that China would not take military action against Taiwan while he is president, as the Chinese leaders “know the consequences.” Trump made the statement during an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes program that aired on Sunday, a few days after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea. “He [Xi] has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘we would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said in the interview. However, he repeatedly declined to say exactly how Washington would respond in
RSS