Former representatives to the Philippines and Thailand faced disciplinary action after the government said that sexual harassment allegations against them were credible, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Former representative to the Philippines Michael Hsu (徐佩勇) was given a major demerit after the ministry’s sexual harassment complaint review committee found that an allegation against him from his tenure in Manila was credible, ministry spokesman Jeff Liu (劉永健) said.
A major demerit generally affects a career diplomat’s year-end bonuses.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The committee also found a similar allegation against former representative to Thailand Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) to be credible, but the ministry could not discipline him directly, as he was a political appointee rather than a career diplomat, Liu added.
Instead, Chuang’s case is to be referred to the Control Yuan, which is responsible for investigating and censuring illegal or negligent acts by public servants or agencies, Liu said.
Hsu, who became representative to the Philippines in June 2018, was recalled shortly after the ministry learned about the accusation against him in April, the ministry previously said.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
According to an online forum post that was uploaded prior to the recall, Hsu allegedly inappropriately hugged and kissed his Filipina secretary, who started working at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines last year.
Hsu, through his lawyer, has denied the accusations.
His position has since been filled by Wallace Chow (周民淦), former head of the ministry’s Department of East Asia and Pacific Affairs, while Hsu now works at the ministry’s Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs in Taipei.
Chuang, who was Taiwan’s top envoy to Bangkok from June last year to June this year, allegedly held his female secretary’s hands tightly during a car ride to northern Thailand in December last year while on a business trip.
He also allegedly asked her to meet him in his hotel room during the trip, but she declined, local media reports said.
The secretary later reported the incident to the representative office, which ultimately led to Chuang’s resignation.
Chuang has denied engaging in sexual harassment.
Chuang’s position has been filled by former representative to Myanmar Chang Chun-fu (張俊福).
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
Authorities have detained three former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TMSC, 台積電) employees on suspicion of compromising classified technology used in making 2-nanometer chips, the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday. Prosecutors are holding a former TSMC engineer surnamed Chen (陳) and two recently sacked TSMC engineers, including one person surnamed Wu (吳) in detention with restricted communication, following an investigation launched on July 25, a statement said. The announcement came a day after Nikkei Asia reported on the technology theft in an exclusive story, saying TSMC had fired two workers for contravening data rules on advanced chipmaking technology. Two-nanometer wafers are the most
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
CHINA’s BULLYING: The former British prime minister said that he believes ‘Taiwan can and will’ protect its freedom and democracy, as its people are lovers of liberty Former British prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday said Western nations should have the courage to stand with and deepen their economic partnerships with Taiwan in the face of China’s intensified pressure. He made the remarks at the ninth Ketagalan Forum: 2025 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prospect Foundation in Taipei. Johnson, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time, said he had seen Taiwan’s coastline on a screen on his indoor bicycle, but wanted to learn more about the nation, including its artificial intelligence (AI) development, the key technology of the 21st century. Calling himself an
RSS