The Overseas Chinese Affairs Council (OCA) is facing scrutiny after allegations that it used public funds to host a farewell banquet for former council chair Xu Jiaqing (徐佳青). According to a statement released by the Taiwan People’s Party (民眾黨) legislative caucus director Chen Zhihong (陳智菡) and other lawmakers, the OCA held its annual overseas Chinese committee meeting at the Yuan‑Shan Hotel on the evening of 22 November. During the event, the council allegedly spent millions of New Taiwan dollars on a celebration for Xu, who had recently stepped down as chair. The OCA has announced that it will hold a press conference to clarify the circumstances of the event. In the meantime, Taoyuan City Councilor Ling Tao (凌濤) has publicly criticized the council’s use of public resources. He pointed out that the OCA’s meeting took place while the country was preparing for typhoon‑related emergencies, and that the banquet was held at a luxury hotel. Ling Tao also highlighted that the French overseas Chinese representative Xue Yachu (薛雅俶) – who is the president of the European Trust Taiwan Support Association (歐洲信賴台灣後援會) – was present at the banquet. He accused the OCA of “official protection” and “mutual benefit” among a network of officials and overseas Chinese organizations. The allegations include the following points: 1. Travel and expenses of Xu Jiaqing – Xu has reportedly travelled abroad 47 times in the past five years, spending 526 days overseas and incurring costs of 23.83 million New Taiwan dollars. – During these trips, Xu allegedly brought his minor son as a “photographer” and faced accusations that his husband used an official car for private purposes. – Ling Tao questioned whether these expenses were properly accounted for and whether they involved any preferential treatment or benefit. 2. Use of public funds for the banquet – The banquet reportedly included accommodation, venue rental, equipment, and catering, all of which were allegedly funded by the OCA’s budget. – Ling Tao asked whether the OCA’s press conference, which was held at the same venue, also used public money and whether the council is effectively “washing the former chair’s name” with taxpayer funds. 3. Commemorative video and invitations – The OCA claims that a “free commemorative video” featuring six years of Xu’s achievements was produced from official council archives. – Ling Tao questioned whether the video was edited by OCA staff and whether the invitation to Xu was arranged by the council, allowing him to deliver a speech and perform a song at the event. The OCA has denied that the banquet used additional public funds beyond the budgeted amount for the meeting. It maintains that the event was a routine farewell for a former chair and that all expenses were covered by the council’s operating budget. The controversy has drawn attention to the broader issue of how public funds are allocated for overseas Chinese affairs. It also raises questions about the relationship between the OCA, overseas Chinese organizations, and political actors. The
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