Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator-at-large Wu Chun-cheng (吳春城), who has been accused of conflicts of interest related to his support for a “strong generation,” yesterday said he would resign from his post.
The Act Promoting Development for Strong Generation Policies and Industries (壯世代政策與產業發展促進法) was passed on Jan. 7 to address aging through industrial development. It defines the “strong generation” as those aged 55 or older with the ability and willingness to work, and stipulates that the government is responsible for putting in place policies that help those in the aging population lead a better life.
Wu, known for initiating the act, at the end of his speech on the lectern of the legislature yesterday said the new policy, promulgated on Jan. 24, “belongs to the people.”
Photo: CNA
Lamenting that his effort out of love for the nation has been tainted, he said “a great battle has been fought,” which he would leave to “blossom” while he returns to his original calling as a missionary.
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has alleged that Wu failed to avoid conflicts of interest in his position as a lawmaker to help businesses affiliated with his wife, siblings, children and in-laws to win NT$1.1 billion (US$33.54 million) of government tenders, accusations that Wu has denied.
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has opened an investigation into the case.
Wu yesterday said the act was supported by many lawmakers and was scrupulously examined by multiple committees and at plenary sessions, adding “time will eventually prove my innocence.”
Wu said he tendered his resignation from his position as a legislator-at-large to the TPP 10 days previously.
The TPP in a statement said that it respected Wu’s decision and supported it.
Liu Shu-pin (劉書彬), a professor in Soochow University’s Department of Political Science, is expected to fill the opening left by Wu, the TPP said.
Meanwhile, at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee yesterday, DPP Legislator Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) proposed repealing the act. Her proposal would next be discussed at a meeting of the legislature’s Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee.
Additional reporting by Lin Che-yuan
STILL COMMITTED: The US opposes any forced change to the ‘status quo’ in the Strait, but also does not seek conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said US President Donald Trump’s administration released US$5.3 billion in previously frozen foreign aid, including US$870 million in security exemptions for programs in Taiwan, a list of exemptions reviewed by Reuters showed. Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid shortly after taking office on Jan. 20, halting funding for everything from programs that fight starvation and deadly diseases to providing shelters for millions of displaced people across the globe. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has said that all foreign assistance must align with Trump’s “America First” priorities, issued waivers late last month on military aid to Israel and Egypt, the
‘UNITED FRONT’ FRONTS: Barring contact with Huaqiao and Jinan universities is needed to stop China targeting Taiwanese students, the education minister said Taiwan has blacklisted two Chinese universities from conducting academic exchange programs in the nation after reports that the institutes are arms of Beijing’s United Front Work Department, Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) published yesterday. China’s Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou, as well as Jinan University in Guangzhou, which have 600 and 1,500 Taiwanese on their rolls respectively, are under direct control of the Chinese government’s political warfare branch, Cheng said, citing reports by national security officials. A comprehensive ban on Taiwanese institutions collaborating or
France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and accompanying warships were in the Philippines yesterday after holding combat drills with Philippine forces in the disputed South China Sea in a show of firepower that would likely antagonize China. The Charles de Gaulle on Friday docked at Subic Bay, a former US naval base northwest of Manila, for a break after more than two months of deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. The French carrier engaged with security allies for contingency readiness and to promote regional security, including with Philippine forces, navy ships and fighter jets. They held anti-submarine warfare drills and aerial combat training on Friday in
COMBAT READINESS: The military is reviewing weaponry, personnel resources, and mobilization and recovery forces to adjust defense strategies, the defense minister said The military has released a photograph of Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) appearing to sit beside a US general during the annual Han Kuang military exercises on Friday last week in a historic first. In the photo, Koo, who was presiding over the drills with high-level officers, appears to be sitting next to US Marine Corps Major General Jay Bargeron, the director of strategic planning and policy of the US Indo-Pacific Command, although only Bargeron’s name tag is visible in the seat as “J5 Maj General.” It is the first time the military has released a photo of an active
RSS