Where Is the Evidence Chiang Wan-an Used His Privilege for His Son? Li Zhenghao Lays Out the Timeline

Questions over Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s treatment of his eldest son have widened from a government-funded exchange placement to a mayor’s award linked to scouting.

Chiang’s son, Chiang De-li, was selected as one of 25 students for a publicly funded exchange program to the United States and Canada. The selection triggered accusations that Chiang had failed to avoid a conflict of interest and that his family had occupied a scarce public resource. Critics then revisited the circumstances surrounding De-li’s receipt of a second-category mayor’s award for “scouting performance.” They argued that the award’s criteria lacked objectivity and persuasive force.

Political program host Li Zhenghao presented what he described as a step-by-step timeline. He said that after Chiang took office as Taipei mayor on December 25, 2022, the Taipei City Scouts Association created an honorary president position the following year and Chiang took it. Li then said De-li struggled during an advanced scouting examination because he could not put up a tent in cold, rainy conditions. According to Li, Chiang, acting as both mayor and honorary scouting president, delivered supplies, allowing his son to qualify. Li said a junior high school affiliated with National Taiwan Normal University later changed its mayor’s award rules to include scouting as a special talent, followed by De-li receiving the award. “What is this if not privilege?” Li said.

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What is this if not privilege?

The Taipei City Scouts Association responded that the camp had uniformly told all participants they could ask parents to deliver clothing if they lacked adequate protection from the cold. The statement said no particular participant received an exception or special arrangement. A pro-blue social media page then mocked Li and his supporters, saying the association had disproved their claims.

Li pushed back, citing De-li’s own account of the camp. De-li reportedly said his group could not assemble its tent, which filled with water during heavy rain, and that he called home. Chiang then drove to Yangmingshan with his wife and two other sons, bringing a large bag containing clothing and daily necessities. Li questioned why the association’s statement referred only to clothing while De-li described additional supplies.

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At that time we went to Yangmingshan, and a cold wave happened to arrive. We had to cook for ourselves and put up tents, and it rained heavily on the first day. Our group could not get the tent up, and there was water everywhere inside. It was very difficult.