Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) made an emotional appeal in a press release yesterday, rebutting the “false accusations” against him and his eldest son, Michael Chiang (江俊德), concerning alleged investments in China and profiteering from state-run companies.
Next Magazine reported yesterday that Chiang Pin-kung used his position as the minister of economic affairs in 1994 to help his son’s company, Istra Corp, by demanding that state-run steel business Kuei Yi Enterprise purchase items from Istra at a high price.
The magazine said the father-son duo had profited by brokering deals between Kuei Yi and other foreign companies, one of which turned out to be an international fraud ring.
Kuei Yi has been reorganized and renamed Dragon Steel after losing more than NT$5.2 billion (US$170 million).
“My eldest son sacrificed his own chances to advance his education to help raise his younger sister and brothers ... I have always made a strict request that he should never be involved in any state-run businesses,” the SEF chairman said in a statement.
Chiang Pin-kung also said in his statement that he had not played a role in the formation of Kuei Yi Enterprise as alleged in the article, adding that a court had already found that Istra had no relationship with Kuei Yi.
The recent accusations leveled against him, his family and SEF General-Secretary Kao Kong-lian (高孔廉) are probably “politically motivated to purposely tarnish the image of the organization [the SEF] and to impede the progress of peaceful cross-strait developments,” the SEF head said, stressing that his position as chairman was unpaid.
Democratic Progressive Party legislators were not convinced, however, and called on Chiang Pin-kung to step down.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS