KMT protest over toxic oil aims to distract from company ties, advocacy group claims

Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party is rallying citizens for a July 25th protest at Ketagalan Boulevard, demanding President Lai Ching-te apologize and Premier Cho Jung-tai resign. The protest is framed as a response to a food safety scandal involving toxic oil.

However, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) sharply criticized the KMT's move, calling it a deliberate attempt to shift public focus away from the accountability of five implicated oil companies. The EDU revealed that four of these companies have significant political and business ties to the KMT. The group highlighted that instead of scrutinizing food safety, KMT officials, including mayors of several cities, are busy organizing the protest, which they believe is a tactic to deflect blame and build momentum for the year-end elections.

The EDU detailed the alleged connections: the chairman of Fwusow Industry and chairman of Chung-Lien Oil, Hong Yao-kun, is a veteran KMT cadre. The current chairman of Tai Shan, Liu Wei-lung, who also sits on Chung-Lien Oil's board, gained control of Tai Shan through Long Bang Group, whose de facto controller, Zhu Guorong, has ties to former KMT-affiliated businesses. The EDU also pointed to the general manager of Chung-Lien Oil, Yu Ling-chong, as a former Tai Shan executive appointed after Zhu Guorong's group took over Tai Shan.

"The KMT's planned protest is actually to build momentum for the year-end elections and help KMT mayors evade responsibility," said EDU deputy secretary-general Chen Yu-wei. "They are trying to shift all accountability to the central government. This low-quality political cover-up tactic will not fool the Taiwanese people." The EDU urged those who want to hold the black-hearted companies accountable and strengthen food safety management to boycott the July 25th event.

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The KMT's planned protest is actually to build momentum for the year-end elections and help KMT mayors evade responsibility. They are trying to shift all accountability to the central government. This low-quality political cover-up tactic will not fool the Taiwanese people.