Lai Ching‑te Appears with Zhonglian Oil Director Amid Food‑Safety Scandal

On July 3, Taiwan’s president‑elect Lai Ching‑te attended the opening ceremony of the Taipei pet‑products exhibition and cut a ribbon alongside Hong Yao‑kun, the chairman of Fushou Industrial and a director of Zhonglian Oil. At the time, the Zhonglian Oil case – a food‑safety scandal involving contaminated oil products – was already under investigation. Hong was later ordered to post NT$10 million bail after prosecutors charged him with violating the Food‑Safety Act. Critics have questioned whether the joint appearance reflects undue political‑business ties and have called for a transparent investigation into any influence on regulatory authorities.