TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) refused to answer questions from Legislator Li Chen-hsiu (李貞秀) of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) during a session in the Legislative Yuan (立法院), Taiwan's parliament, on Tuesday (April 7). Cho claimed that Li lacked the qualifications to serve as a legislator under Republic of China (ROC) laws because she had not renounced her Chinese citizenship.
Cho took the podium and stated, "Speaker Han, I am taking the floor today out of respect for your role in maintaining order in the legislature." He argued that Li had not met requirements under the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) and the Nationality Act (國籍法), disqualifying her from serving as a legislator.
Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) called for a recess while Li remained alone on the stage. Han stated, "Legislators have the right to question the premier and heads of ministries during sessions, and we expect those rights to be respected in accordance with the rules." Li used her time to criticize the Lai administration and challenge accusations about her loyalty, insisting her voting actions served Taiwan's interests.
During the session, Cho leafed through a book by fellow legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) while Li spoke. The dispute centers on whether Li, who was born in China and later obtained a ROC passport, properly renounced her Chinese citizenship before taking office. Li has denied the accusations and maintained that her actions in the legislature have served Taiwan's interests. ◼