Crossfire! Chiang Wan-an mocks selling pineapple soursop as 'selling out Taiwan,' Liang Wen-jie fires back

A verbal sparring match has erupted between Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an and the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) over the implications of selling Taiwanese products, particularly the popular pineapple soursop.

Chiang Wan-an initiated the exchange by suggesting that the MAC owes an apology to Taitung County Magistrate Rao Qing-ling. He implied that the MAC's stance on product sales could be interpreted as a condemnation of Taiwanese businesses, questioning if selling pineapple soursop now equates to "selling out Taiwan."

MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh swiftly countered Chiang's assertion. Liang challenged the mayor to specify when the MAC had ever stated that selling pineapple soursop constituted "selling out Taiwan." He emphasized that the term "selling out Taiwan" is reserved for actions such as developing organizations for the Chinese Communist Party, influencing elections, or espionage, matters handled by agencies like the National Security Bureau and the Investigation Bureau.

Liang further stressed the importance of due process, stating that any case requires understanding the facts and hearing from the involved parties before a judgment can be made. He noted that the final decision in Rao's case, which did not result in a disciplinary action, was a product of this proper administrative procedure. Liang invited Chiang to provide concrete evidence if he had indeed heard the MAC make such accusations.