Former Taiwanese vice-premier turned senior official steps down amid bribery probe
- Cheng Wen-tsan resigned from Straits Exchange Foundation, a post he had for just a month, over allegations from his tenure as Taoyuan mayor
A senior Taiwanese official involved in mainland affairs has resigned as head of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) following a bribery investigation.
Cheng, 57, known for his moderate stance on cross-strait relations and advocacy for normal exchanges, was summoned by prosecutors on Friday for questioning about alleged bribery during his tenure as mayor of Taoyuan between 2014 and 2022.
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The Taoyuan district prosecutors’ office said on Saturday it sought court approval to detain Cheng after 16 hours of questioning over suspected acceptance of a bribe seven years ago.
However, the Taoyuan District Court rejected the detention request and released Cheng on NT$5 million (US$154,000) bail. This decision was later overridden by the High Court, which requested a review of his detention case on Monday.
The prosecutors’ office did not provide details of the case but local news media reported that the bribery allegation was linked to a land rezoning project near a science-based industrial estate in Taoyuan.
Cheng maintained his innocence in a statement on Saturday: “I have not committed any illegal acts, and I will cooperate with the judicial investigation. I hope to clarify the truth and prove my innocence as soon as possible”.
Cheng announced his resignation through the SEF the following day, citing the need to “avoid disrupting the team’s normal operations” and expressing his commitment to “clearing his name through the judicial process”.
