Taipei prosecutors said yesterday they are investigating a scandal involving financially strapped Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT, 遠東航空) officials who were suspected of bribing Chinese officials to win route rights in China.
Prosecutors said yesterday that Lou Wen-hao (樓文豪), an official of the Taiwan branch of Cambodia’s Angkor Airways Corp, told prosecutors that he had represented FAT officials in wiring around NT$175 million (US$5.7 million) to Chinese aviation authority officials, hoping they could help FAT to win rights at an airport in Wuxi in Jiangsu Province, and an airport in Tsingtao in Shandong Province.
Prosecutors said they are looking for a man suspected of contacting Chinese officials to facilitate the matter, adding that the case is tough because they are unlikely to interview any Chinese officials who checked their accounts.
Prosecutors discovered the scandal as they probed FAT officials over their alleged involvement in an embezzlement scandal.
Lou, former FAT chairman Stephen Tsui (崔湧) and former FAT president Philip Chen (陳尚群) have been detained since late April on suspicion of embezzling NT$2 billion from the airline, throwing the company into a financial crisis.
Prosecutors said they were probing the whereabouts of the missing funds when Lou told them that part of the money might have been used to bribe Chinese officials.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
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