The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has become embroiled in the controversy surrounding the first family, with prosecutors investigating claims that Charles Chen (
The MOTC is the largest shareholder in the foundation, which in turn owns a majority of the shares in China Airlines.
Regulations stipulate that the MOTC minister should also act as the foundation's chairman.
Wan Hai Lines chairman Chen Bo-ting (
There have also been reports that Chen Bo-ting, a younger brother of Charles Chen, might have provided the first lady with Sogo Department Store vouchers which she had allegedly used to partially pay for the purchase of a diamond ring from Tiffany & Co.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Tsai Duei (蔡堆) yesterday appeared flabbergasted when questioned by lawmakers at the Legislative Transportation Committee over Charles Chen's qualifications.
"Wan Hai owns just 2 percent of China Airlines' stock, so how did he [Charles Chen] manage to become a board member of the foundation?" People First Party (PFP) Legislator Liu Wen-hsiung (
"Apparently the watch [given to Chen Chi-chung] makes all the difference," Liu said.
He asked Tsai to replace Charles Chen immediately.
According to the foundation's regulations, investors are not restricted to airline operators.
Corporations with capital exceeding NT$10 million and an annual sales volume exceeding NT$25 million may also invest in the foundation.
PFP Legislator Lee Hung-chun (
He suggested that Tsai should convene a board meeting to discuss Charles Chen's qualifications.
"You need to consider why and how the two former MOTC ministers [Lin Ling-san (林陵三) and Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪)] stepped down, and stop siding with the first family," Lee told Tsai.
China Airlines yesterday issued a statement saying that Charles Chen became a board member in the company in 2000, and was reaffirmed as board member in 2003.
The statement added that he did not hold an important position within Wan Hai, which has been buying the company's stocks and transferable bonds since 2004.
Charles Chen was recommended in May this year to serve on the foundation's board after Wan Hai became the second-largest shareholder in the company, the statement said.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first
MINOR DISRUPTION: The outage affected check-in and security screening, while passport control was done manually and runway operations continued unaffected The main departure hall and other parts of Terminal 2 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport lost power on Tuesday, causing confusion among passengers before electricity was fully restored more than an hour later. The outage, the cause of which is still being investigated, began at about midday and affected parts of Terminal 2, including the check-in gates, the security screening area and some duty-free shops. Parts of the terminal immediately activated backup power sources, while others remained dark until power was restored in some of the affected areas starting at 12:23pm. Power was fully restored at 1:13pm. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a
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