DPP lawmaker Cheng Yu-chen (
He reiterated his intent to divorce his wife and admitted fathering an illegitimate daughter with another woman two decades ago.
Cheng's estranged wife, Lu Pei-ying (
PHOTO: CNA
Cheng, whose triangular romance has drawn a lot of media attention, took a deep bow in an apologetic gesture during a news conference in Los Angeles but insisted he would not part with his assistant, Sophie Wang (
"I'm sorry my [romantic] affair has caused such a stir in Taiwan," said Cheng, flanked by Wang and his lawyer, Chiu Chang (邱彰). "I was like a drifter until I met Sophie. I will spend the rest of my life with her and hope the public will understand and wish us the best."
Cheng said he would quit the DPP and even resign as a lawmaker if his party and supporters found his decision unacceptable.
"I'm willing to withdraw from the party's caucus to take responsibility for my extramarital affair," he told reporters. "If this is not enough, I'm willing to quit the party and resign as a legislator."
Several people have reportedly phoned his Taipei office to condemn his "irresponsible" behavior and express sympathy for his wife.
Cheng, 56, said that since he turned 50, he no longer harbors ambitions of any kind. Calling himself crushed and disgraceful, he added he would not return to Taiwan until he obtains a divorce.
"As an old saying goes, a man must mend his household before seeking to serve his country. I don't have the nerve to face my constituents unless I put a end to this mess," the lawmaker said.
He conceded he lied about his marital status when he married Wang on July 2 in Las Vegas and that he would shoulder any legal consequences.
"I uphold the principle of monogamy," Cheng said. "So I plead that Lu will divorce me, as I love Wang and intend to go through any legal procedures to be with her."
His lawyer cited Nevada codes as saying that anyone who resides in the US state for six weeks may seek a divorce in local courts. She argued that Cheng's second marriage, conducted without an open wedding ceremony, would not be recognized in Taiwan and therefore Cheng could not be prosecuted.
Cheng broke into tears when a reporter read a letter from his daughter urging him to come home.
He expressed grave regrets that his other family members had been dragged into the matter but hoped they would be strong and independent.
"Be strong and more useful than your dad and take care of your mom," Cheng said. He and Lu had one son and one daughter during their 30-year marriage.
The lawmaker did not deny that he fathered another daughter out of wedlock more than 20 years ago and that he sought a divorce at that time.
"This time I will not relent, now that I have found my true love," Cheng said.
His emotional revelations drew a tearful reply from his first wife, who read out a letter to Cheng during a news conference in Taipei two hours later.
In the letter Lu said she had not seen her husband for a long time and that she didn't even know how to contact him.
She indirectly charged her husband of being promiscuous, but did not comment on the divorce request except to say she was worried about Cheng being guilty of bigamy.
"I am afraid he has violated marriage codes against bigamy here and in the US," a weeping Lu told reporters.
She pressed Cheng to come home soon, saying she didn't know how to help him otherwise.
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was questioned by prosecutors for allegedly orchestrating an attack on a taxi driver after he was allegedly driven on a longer than necessary route in a car he disliked. The questioning at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office was ongoing as of press time last night. Police have recommended charges of attempted murder. The legally embattled actor — known for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代) — is under a separate investigation for allegedly using fake medical documents to evade mandatory military service. According to local media reports, police said Wang earlier last year ordered a
Taiwan is planning to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based X-ray imaging to customs clearance points over the next four years to curb the smuggling of contraband, a Customs Administration official said. The official on condition of anonymity said the plan would cover meat products, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, large bundles of banknotes and certain agricultural produce. Taiwan began using AI image recognition systems in July 2021. This year, generative AI — a subset of AI which uses generative models to produce data — would be used to train AI models to produce realistic X-ray images of contraband, the official
RSS