# Taiwan mooncake procurement political dispute

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/taiwan-mooncake-procurement-political-dispute
> Updated: 2026-09-02T07:24:30.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 3.

The political dispute in Taiwan regarding the procurement of Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes from sheltered workshops has intensified. The controversy centers on the freezing of the Presidential Office’s state affairs expenses in the 2026 central budget, which reportedly prevented the office from fulfilling customary orders for approximately 15,000 mooncake boxes from 37 workshops employing people with disabilities.

Demands for transparency have increased, with KMT Taipei City Councilor Qin Huizhu questioning the Presidential Office regarding original order quantities, unit prices, and the distribution of the boxes. Qin noted that some workshops claimed they received only inquiries rather than formal orders, raising questions about the office’s credibility.

In response to the shortfall, various political figures have taken individual action. While Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an announced a 300,000 TWD donation, Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wen announced she personally spent 4.02 million TWD to purchase 9,780 boxes from 20 workshops. Cheng stated she is acting in a personal capacity to support the workshops and avoid using limited KMT party funds, while criticizing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for using vulnerable groups as ‘political leverage’ during budget disputes.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-02: Cheng Li-wen personally purchases 9,780 mooncake boxes from sheltered workshops

KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wen personally spent 4.02 million TWD to buy nearly 10,000 mooncakes from sheltered workshops after the Presidential Office canceled its orders.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cheng-li-wen-personally-purchases-9780-mooncake-boxes-from-sheltered-workshops

### 2026-08-31: Taiwan Presidential Office budget cuts halt mooncake orders for sheltered workshops

The freezing of Taiwan's Presidential Office state affairs budget has halted customary mooncake orders for 37 sheltered workshops, sparking political debate and calls for transparency.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/taiwan-presidential-office-budget-cuts-halt-mooncake-orders-for-sheltered-workshops

### 2026-08-26: Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen faces criticism over mooncake procurement dispute

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen is facing criticism for her characterization of the Presidential Office ‘abandoning’ mooncake orders from sheltered workshops following legislative budget cuts.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/taichung-mayor-lu-shiow-yen-faces-criticism-over-mooncake-procurement-dispute

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Cite as: Taiwan mooncake procurement political dispute. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/taiwan-mooncake-procurement-political-dispute