Former Taiwanese vice-premier under probe: ruling party

TAIWAN’S ruling party said former vice-premier Cheng Wen-tsan is under probe by prosecutors, as local media reported the senior politician is being investigated for alleged corruption. 

Democratic Progressive Party spokesman Wu Cheng confirmed the probe in a statement on Saturday (Jul 6), without elaborating on the charges. A district court will hold a hearing on Saturday afternoon to decide on prosecutors’ request to detain Cheng, the official Central News Agency (CNA) reported. 

Local prosecutors suspected Cheng of accepting bribery, CNA and other media said. Cheng’s lawyer said the politician has not broken any law and will cooperate with all investigations as he wants to prove his innocence.

Cheng became vice-premier in January 2023 under former President Tsai Ing-wen. He ended his term as Tsai handed over her reign to incumbent President Lai Ching-te earlier this year after the DPP won the presidential election again.

He is currently is the head of semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, which offers administrative support for civil exchanges between Taiwan and China.

Cheng also served as the mayor of the northern Taiwanese city of Taoyuan from late 2014 to 2022. 

SEE ALSO

Taiwan appoints ruling party's former chairman as new premier

DECODING ASIA

Navigate Asia in
a new global order

Get the insights delivered to your inbox.

A representative at the Taoyuan district prosecutors office said she does not have any information to offer. Straits Exchange Foundation spokeswoman Elsie Tsai said the organisation respects the judicial procedure. BLOOMBERG