The Agency Against Corruption asked state-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) to provide more than NT$1 million (US$33,000) in funding for a running event, despite Taipower being under investigation over irregular procurements, a legislator alleged yesterday.
Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Huang Wen-ling (黃文玲) told reporters that the agency launched a probe in May into procurements relating to the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市). Several Taipower officials were released on bail following a search of company offices.
Huang said the agency had planned to celebrate its first anniversary by hosting a running event on Saturday, but last week it postponed the event in light of a corruption scandal involving former Executive Yuan secretary-general Lin Yi-shih (林益世).
Huang said that although the event was postponed, she found the agency was still running event ads showing Taipower and Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Co (台灣菸酒公司) were sponsors of the event.
According to expenditure documents for the event, the agency was expecting to spend NT$2.38 million, with the agency and the Ministry of Economic Affairs each paying half of the money, or about NT$1.19 million, Huang said.
Huang said the ministry had approved a plan by Taipower to provide the NT$1.19 million.
Huang asked how the target of an investigation could become a sponsor for the agency, adding that the agency could have decided to go easy in its probe of Taipower because of the relationship.
Agency Against Corruption Deputy Head Yang Shih-chin (楊石金) said yesterday that the agency had discussed hosting the running event with the ministry in January and agreed that each would cover half of the expenditure.
Yang said the agency only launched its probe against Taipower in May, adding that the agency was currently looking into two cases involving Taipower and that it would definitely not go easy on the company if wrongdoing were uncovered.
TAIWAN PROTECTION MEASURE: US Army General Charles Flynn would not say where in the Asia-Pacific the missiles would be sent, but only that they would arrive in 2024 The US is to send medium-range missiles including the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) and Tomahawk to the Asia-Pacific next year to deter a Chinese attack on Taiwan, US military news Web site Defense One reported. The report cited comments US Army General Charles Flynn made during the annual Halifax International Security Forum on Nov. 19. “We have tested them and we have a battery or two of them today,” Flynn was quoted as saying. “In [20]24. We intend to deploy that system in your region. I’m not going to say where and when. But I will just say that we will
UNUSUAL UPTICK: There are more flu-like illnesses in northern China than in the past 3 years, but data from Beijing showed that known pathogens are responsible Responding to an uptick in respiratory illnesses in China, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it has instructed international airport and port quarantine centers to raise their alert levels, and plans to issue an alert to healthcare practitioners. The number of flu-like illnesses reported in northern China has been increasing for five consecutive weeks, and is higher than the same period in the past three years, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) said. “According to the WHO’s latest statement, issued yesterday, information provided by Chinese government showed that the illnesses were mainly reported among children, and the illnesses were attributed
LOYALTY: The 10 active and retired soldiers betrayed the nation and its people by leaking and passing on military secrets to China, the High Prosecutors’ Office said Ten former and current military officers were yesterday indicted on charges of spying for China, including two who allegedly filmed themselves pledging loyalty to Beijing. The High Prosecutors’ Office requested life imprisonment for the suspects in light of the severity of the crime. The 10 active-duty and retired officers included members of the 601st Brigade of the Aviation Special Forces comprising attack helicopter squadrons and elite combat units in charge of defending northern Taiwan, including Taipei. The other suspects came from Huadong Defense Command, in charge of defending the eastern coast; Kinmen Defense Command, in charge of defending Kinmen and Matsu; and one
‘OPEN TO DIALOGUE’: Her alliance with Vice President William Lai is based on their commitment to preserve the nation’s freedom and democracy, Hsiao Bi-khim said Taiwan should “trust, but verify” reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) denied that Beijing plans to invade Taiwan in 2027, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told reporters yesterday. “We anticipate and we hope that Chairman Xi Jinping was sincere when he said there was no timetable” for bringing Taiwan under control by force, said Hsiao, who earlier this week resigned as the representative to the US to join the ticket of DPP nominee, Vice President William Lai (賴清德). Borrowing a phrase from former US president Ronald Reagan — which US President Joe Biden also used after
RSS