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
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
RSS