Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) mayoral candidate for the soon-to-be-renamed Sinbei City Eric Chu (朱立倫) yesterday said he would support an investigation into allegations that two companies he once endorsed had engaged in illegal activities.
The Chinese-language Next Magazine alleged yesterday that Ching Huang Concrete and -Liang Pang Construction Supplies had provided defective building materials for public construction projects, including the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and a science park.
In the latest accusation against the KMT candidate, the magazine said the Taoyuan County Government had awarded contracts to the companies — both well-known sandstone suppliers — during Chu’s eight-year tenure as county commissioner there.
Speaking at a campaign stop yesterday, Chu said the county government routinely awarded hundreds of different contracts every year, adding that he nevertheless supported any effort by prosecutors to shed light on the matter.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of [organization] it is. All are still subject to public scrutiny,” he said, adding that as long as the investigation targeted illicit practices, he would support it.
The allegations will nevertheless add to Chu’s burden, as he already faces multiple inquiries into his former post as Taoyuan County commissioner. Late last month, Next Magazine alleged it had unearthed new evidence supporting claims that he had helped a well-known food company set up factory on protected riverbank areas.
His opponent, Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), has also raised questions about the quality of construction at a major baseball stadium that was built during his tenure.
Chu’s campaign office has denied both allegations.
Former Czech Republic-based Taiwanese researcher Cheng Yu-chin (鄭宇欽) has been sentenced to seven years in prison on espionage-related charges, China’s Ministry of State Security announced yesterday. China said Cheng was a spy for Taiwan who “masqueraded as a professor” and that he was previously an assistant to former Cabinet secretary-general Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰). President-elect William Lai (賴清德) on Wednesday last week announced Cho would be his premier when Lai is inaugurated next month. Today is China’s “National Security Education Day.” The Chinese ministry yesterday released a video online showing arrests over the past 10 years of people alleged to be
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