Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao reported on the 13th, alleging that Zhaoyi, a company under Shen Tu-cheng, father of Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen, switched to the company VWAY to keep dealing with China after it was punished by China last June (Liberty Times, CNA). At its press conference on the 14th the Taiwan Affairs Office announced punishment of VWAY, banning it from dealing with Chinese companies, and demanded that the other side “prove its innocence” (Liberty Times, United Daily News). Shen responded that this is reheated leftovers and he has clarified it many times; the Mainland Affairs Council called it a vicious attempt to interfere in a democratic election, and the Democratic Progressive Party caucus said no democracy would allow another country to intervene in its elections (CNA, Liberty Times). At the same press conference the Taiwan Affairs Office also criticized Kevin Tsai for attending the opening of Shen's campaign headquarters and said Robert Tsao's younger brother was refused entry at Shanghai. Citing an anonymous informed source, CNA said the Taiwan Affairs Office first leaked through Hong Kong media and then forwarded it to Taiwanese media, most of which did not follow up, so it staged it at the press conference instead. As for the “shell swap” the Hong Kong media allege and the actual transactions, as of publication we found no independent verification.
With 44 days left in the election, news like this directly affects a candidate's image and the focus of debate. More important, by using unilateral measures such as “punishment” against a company belonging to a candidate's family member, Beijing lets an official body with political claims on Taiwan take part in Taiwan's election topics; and demanding that the other side “prove its innocence” in effect shifts the burden of proof onto the accused.
If you are a Taipei resident, you can break this down into three layers: whether the Hong Kong media's allegation is true, whether Beijing's punishment is justified, and how you expect the mayor to respond to pressure from abroad. None of the three is the same as comparing policy platforms, and none should replace that comparison. Before sharing related posts, check whether the source is Hong Kong media, the Taiwan Affairs Office or Taiwan's competent authorities.
Shen's camp, the Mainland Affairs Council and the Democratic Progressive Party hold that Beijing is working with Hong Kong media and an official body to smear and pressure during the election period, which amounts to election interference; the Democratic Progressive Party caucus also said the same script was already played out last year.
The Taiwan Affairs Office's position is that anyone entangled with “Taiwan independence” who also wants to profit from the mainland cannot be a “two-faced person,” and that the family company involved should explain itself to Taiwan society; it calls its action against VWAY “punishment.”
We keep three things apart: what has happened is the Hong Kong media reports, the Taiwan Affairs Office announcement and the responses from all sides; what is unconfirmed is the relationship between Zhaoyi and VWAY and the content of the transactions; what someone really needs to answer is whether Taiwan's authorities have investigated and what they found. Until these three come back onto one line, a headline from any single side is not enough. Next, watch whether Shen Tu-cheng or the two companies respond directly, whether the Mainland Affairs Council or judicial authorities release any verification, and whether the Taiwan Affairs Office names more people.
Liberty Times · CNA · United Daily News · Anue · Radio Taiwan International · Taipei Times (Oct. 13–14)
Taiwan Affairs Office announces “punishment” of another company tied to Puma Shen's father; Shen calls it mudslinging in election season, Mainland Affairs Council condemns “interference in a democratic election”
It began with reports on the 13th in Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao: after Zhaoyi was sanctioned last year, it kept doing business in China through a company called VWAY. On the 14th the Taiwan Affairs Office followed up by announcing a ban on dealings with VWAY; as for the allegation itself, we found no verification from Taiwan's authorities or any third party.
Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao ran reports on the 13th, one after the other, alleging that Zhaoyi, a company under Shen Tu-cheng, the father of Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen, switched to another company, VWAY, to keep dealing with China after it was “punished” by China last June (Liberty Times, CNA). At a press conference on the 14th, China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council announced punishment of VWAY, banning it from dealing with Chinese companies; spokesman Chen Binhua also demanded that the other side “prove its innocence” and give Taiwan society an account (Liberty Times, United Daily News). At the same press conference the office also criticized host Kevin Tsai for attending the opening of Shen's campaign headquarters, saying no one can make money from the mainland while being a “two-faced” person; it also said the younger brother of Robert Tsao, former chairman of UMC, was recently refused entry at Shanghai because Tsao has been put on a list of “Taiwan independence diehards,” and that his family members are likewise barred from entry (United Daily News, Liberty Times, Economic Daily News). Shen said in a recent interview with Jaw Shaw-kong that, provided there are no political preconditions, he could take part in the Shanghai-Taipei Twin-City Forum, but exchanges need good risk control; the office's response was that “Taiwan independence diehards” have no standing to talk about cross-Strait exchange (Liberty Times).
Shen responded on the 14th that this is “reheated leftovers” and he has clarified it many times; he added that he has long been wanted and sanctioned and would like to see what “new dishes” the other side can serve up (CNA, Liberty Times). His campaign office said that Taipei residents are electing a Taipei mayor and that this kind of tactic will not win their trust (CNA). The Mainland Affairs Council called it a vicious attempt to interfere in a democratic election; the Democratic Progressive Party caucus in the Legislative Yuan said no democracy would allow another country to reach into its elections (Liberty Times, CNA). Citing an informed source, CNA said the Taiwan Affairs Office first made the allegations through Hong Kong media and then forwarded them to Taiwanese media, but most Taiwanese outlets did not follow up, which is why it staged it again at the press conference; this is an anonymous account and we have no second source. As to whether Zhaoyi and VWAY really have the relationship the Hong Kong media claim, what business was actually done, and whether Shen Tu-cheng or the two companies have responded, we found nothing; nor have Taiwan's authorities released any investigation result.
Seen against the larger background, this is Beijing acting for days in a row against people around Taiwan's elections. On the 12th, China announced sanctions on ministers of Paraguay and Belize; Belize's prime minister said on the 14th that the sanction is unreasonable and will only make his government more firmly supportive of Taiwan (CNA, Liberty Times). The U.S. State Department also issued a statement on the 12th opposing Beijing's “coercive and aggressive actions” against countries exercising their sovereign rights (Liberty Times). What can be confirmed is the timeline and the official actions: Hong Kong media reported on the 13th, the Taiwan Affairs Office announced on the 14th, and Taiwan's authorities and the person concerned responded the same day. What remains to be confirmed is the core allegation itself. Counting from today, there are 44 days to the nine-in-one elections on November 28.