Premier calls for stronger oversight on political trips to ChinaBy Hollie Younger / Staff writer, with CNAThere must be stronger transparency, oversight and emergency protocols for those with significant political influence who visit China in order to protect national security, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said this morning, as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) departed for China. Any such figures visiting China should publicize which Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials they met with, Cho said during an interpellation session at the legislature. However, political party leaders are not subject to the same regulations, raising concerns over what is discussed during these trips and how authorities can monitor it, he said. The government had discussed extending these regulations to those deemed to have significant political influence, but the proposal was tabled, as it would be difficult to define given Taiwan’s many political parties, he said, but added that he “strongly supports” the idea. Shen alternatively suggested that "significant political influence" should encompass chairpersons or vice chairpersons from political parties with a certain number of seats in the legislature.

Source: Taipei Times April 07, 2026 13:19 UTC