The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday turned the spotlight on what it said was a potential for kickbacks to government officials and their relatives should an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) be signed between Taiwan and China.
The DPP promised to push for an investigation after reports showed that a number of senior officials have family or relatives involved in business with China.
While a business trip last week by Vice President Vincent Siew’s (蕭萬長) daughter, Joy Siew (蕭至佑), to the Boao Forum in China drew media attention, her case may be just the tip of the iceberg, DPP spokesperson Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said.
Another case cited by the DPP includes Premier Wu Den-yih’s (吳敦義) son, Wu Chi-lian (吳子廉), who was accused by lawmakers last year of involvement with Chinese firms in an attempted takeover of Nan Shan Life Insurance Co.
In addition, Liu Chao-kai (劉兆凱), chairman of TECO Electric and Machinery and brother of former premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄), is responsible for wind power investments into the Chinese market, the party said.
“We are asking that the government investigate whether any … senior official or their family members are involved in business dealings with China before [and if] an ECFA is signed in June,” Tsai said.
The spokesperson also said the government should take a closer look at whether any of the officials involved in cross-strait negotiations could potentially receive any benefits.
Liu Chien-sin (劉建忻), deputy director of policy research for the DPP, said the party had concerns that an ECFA, if signed, would benefit large corporations with business ties in China rather than small and medium companies.
A statement later released by the DPP said that both Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung’s (江丙坤) son and wife were involved in business deals that could be affected by cross-strait relations.
The party also said that a relative of former National Security Council secretary-general Su Chi (蘇起) has been involved in multimillion-dollar business deals in China.
“The people with the potential to receive kickbacks shouldn’t be asking themselves whether they can go [to China], but rather whether they should be going, or what they would be doing there,” Tsai said, adding that President Ma ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration hasn’t done enough to curb potential conflicts of interest.
“We want a thorough investigation of all cross-strait investments, business deals or any other activities that could result in kickbacks for cross-strait negotiators and [for the government] to deliver it to the public clearly,” Tsai said.
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.
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
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
RSS