The nation’s representative to the US Jason Yuan (袁健生) came under fire from an opposition party lawmaker yesterday for allegedly taking multiple vacation days while on official business.
Speaking at a press conference, DPP Legislator Chen Ying (陳瑩) asked Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) officials to explain why Yuan had spent more than two months in Los Angeles, away from his official duties in Washington.
Information obtained by Chen showed that although Yuan listed 26 days of “official business” spent in Los Angeles in 2008 and 36 days last year, he in fact spent 19 and 31 days of those days respectively on private travel.
PHOTO: CNA
Chen alleges that during his time in Los Angeles, Yuan used public funds to pay for airfares, golfing trips and restaurant expenses.
She also claimed that a private function held for a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) official was billed to the ministry.
“He should be working in Washington. Instead, every one or two days he masks his private trips as official business and disappears to Los Angeles for a vacation and to play a round of golf,” Chen said.
“Yuan even billed the representative office in Los Angeles for his food expenses for dinners with close friends,” she said.
Chen said Yuan should step down over the allegations, adding that “he is no longer suitable for his post.”
Department of North American Affairs Director-General Harry Tseng (曾厚仁), who appeared at the press conference, declined to respond, saying he was unaware of the evidence Chen’s allegations were based on. He said Yuan’s office would clarify the matter at an appropriate time.
Yuan was appointed in July 2008, succeeding former representative Joseph Wu (吳釗燮).
In a press statement late last night, the ministry lauded Yuan’s performance in advancing US-Taiwan relations and said it was part of Yuan’s job to engage in social activities such as golfing, dining and traveling around the US to inspect the ministry’s offices in various states.
“Over the past two years, Representative Yuan has been able to boost bilateral relations between Taiwan and the US on the strength of his longstanding connections within the US political community. It is also because he likes to make and spend time with friends,” the statement said.
On Chen’s allegations, Yuan spoke to the ministry and told it that the activities Chen referred to were actually part of his legitimate business schedule, ministry Deputy Spokesman James Chang (章計平) said.
“As an official abroad, he is on duty 24 hours a day,” Chang said.
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