Taichung Mayor Accuses Presidential Office of 'Abandoning Order' for Mooncakes; Opposition Cites AI on 'Negative Connotation'

A political dispute has erupted in Taiwan over the term "abandoning order" (棄單), used by Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen to criticize the Presidential Office's cancellation of a mooncake purchase from a sheltered workshop. The cancellation reportedly stemmed from the Legislative Yuan's decision to freeze the budget for state affairs, which prevented the planned procurement.

Taichung Deputy Mayor Cheng Chao-hsin attempted to de-escalate the situation by citing artificial intelligence, asserting that "abandoning order" is a neutral term. He stated that his view aligns with the Presidential Office's position, suggesting the term does not inherently carry malicious intent.

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AI directly says that 'abandoning order' is not a neutral term. It refers to a buyer changing their mind temporarily or intentionally not purchasing or picking up an order, causing losses to the seller, which carries clear negative and derogatory connotations.

However, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Councilor Chen Shu-hua challenged this interpretation. She presented her own findings from AI, which she claims defines "abandoning order" as a term with clear negative and derogatory connotations. According to Chen, AI explains it refers to situations where a buyer intentionally cancels an order or becomes unreachable, causing losses to the seller.

Chen Shu-hua accused Deputy Mayor Cheng of distorting facts and engaging in "political makeup" to defend Mayor Lu. She pointed to comments made by legislator Ho Chih-wei, who reportedly described the situation as one of "killing and setting fires, then shouting to save people," implying hypocrisy. Chen urged Cheng not to twist the truth and to acknowledge the negative implications of the term, particularly in the context of supporting vulnerable workshops.

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I don't think abandoning order is malicious. This point is consistent with the Presidential Office's stance.