TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) addressed concerns on Tuesday (May 21) regarding Katharine Chang (張小月), Taiwan's representative to Austria, following allegations of misusing her official trip for personal leisure in Italy.
Chang's visit to Italy, including Rome and the Vatican, was initially under scrutiny after accusations surfaced of her spending the majority of a five-day trip on sightseeing activities, with only an hour dedicated to official inspection.
The ministry clarified that Chang's trip to Italy was a personal vacation, taken upon an invitation from the Ambassador to the Holy See Matthew Lee, and not an official duty.
MOFA Spokesperson Jeff Liu (劉永健) emphasized the ministry's stance on maintaining a clear distinction between personal and official activities to prevent misinterpretation that could negatively impact public perception.
The allegations against Chang were brought to light by an anonymous public complaint, claiming her trip to Italy was predominantly for tourism, with minimal time allocated to inspection activities. This accusation prompted the ministry to investigate the matter thoroughly.
In response to the complaint, the MOFA conducted an inquiry and communicated its findings to the concerned citizen on April 17.