Leaked document shows company manager at Taichung food safety meeting before 'gatekeeper' claims

A leaked document has surfaced suggesting that the general manager of a company embroiled in a carcinogen scandal attended a food safety meeting in Taichung one day before the city's mayor publicly alleged political interference. The document, purportedly minutes from a Taichung food safety meeting, indicates that Yu Ling-chong, general manager of Zhonglian Oil, was present at a session on July 3.

This timing contradicts recent public statements by Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an. The two mayors have repeatedly accused central government officials of acting as "political gatekeepers" to protect Zhonglian Oil amidst a scandal involving carcinogenic substances. They specifically pointed to Yu's alleged attendance at a July 4 meeting convened by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

If the leaked minutes are authentic, they would place Yu Ling-chong in a Taichung city government meeting on July 3, where he was reportedly asked to explain the causes of an incident, corrective actions, and preventative measures. This would mean Taichung city officials were already engaging with the company's general manager regarding the issue a day before the mayors launched their public criticism of the central government.

Officials from Taichung's Food and Drug Administration and Health Bureau have not responded to inquiries regarding the leaked document. Mayor Lu has previously demanded that the central government release meeting records and footage from July 4 to clarify why a company representative was present at what she described as a meeting of experts and scholars.