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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

KMT rallies 200,000 in Taipei to protest 'toxic oil'; Presidential Office responds

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Kuomintang (KMT) held a large rally in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei, with organizers claiming over 200,000 attendees.
  • The KMT protested the government's handling of a food safety scandal involving contaminated oil.
  • The Presidential Office urged officials to return to work and cooperate with the central government on product checks and recalls.

Thousands gathered in Taipei on July 25 to protest the government's response to a food safety scandal involving "toxic oil." The Kuomintang (KMT) organized the "I Am Human, I Oppose Toxic Oil" rally outside the Presidential Office, with organizers claiming more than 200,000 people attended.

I've had enough, the people have had enough.

— Chiang Wan-anTaipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an expressed his frustration during a rally protesting the government's handling of a food safety scandal.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an expressed his frustration, stating, "I've had enough, the people have had enough." He criticized the government's slow response, noting it took three weeks to form an investigation team and 21 days for the first inspection. Chiang questioned whether the government was protecting business interests or public health, demanding accountability.

don't want to push the blame to Qin Shi Huang anymore, saying he shouldn't have unified China.

— Han Kuo-yuLegislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu criticized the ruling party's tendency to deflect blame and urged President Lai Ching-te to address food safety issues directly.

Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu also addressed the crowd, criticizing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's decade in power. He urged President Lai Ching-te to confront and resolve food safety issues, rather than evading responsibility. Han pledged to push for amendments to the Food Safety Act.

Respecting the people's right to express their opinions according to law, and looking forward to the participating city mayors and public officials returning to their posts as soon as possible after the event.

— Kuo Ya-huiPresidential Office spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui responded to the KMT rally, emphasizing the need for officials to return to work and cooperate on food safety.

Presidential Office spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui acknowledged the rally, respecting citizens' right to express their views. She urged participating city mayors and officials to return to their duties promptly. Kuo emphasized the need for collaboration between local governments and the central administration to conduct product checks, remove tainted items from shelves, and trace their origins to safeguard public health. She stated this cooperative approach is the true way to meet public expectations.

The central government must work hand in hand to do a good job of checking problem products, removing them from shelves, and tracing their flow to jointly protect the food safety of the people.

— Kuo Ya-huiPresidential Office spokesperson Kuo Ya-hui stressed the importance of collaboration between local and central governments to address the food safety crisis.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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