Not Just Cho Jung-tai and Shih Chong-liang: She Names the DPP's 'Three Explosive Trio' Amid Stock Crash and Toxic Oil Scandal – Support Drops 5% in a Week

With the 2026 county and municipal elections approaching within four months, political campaigns are intensifying. Recently, Chung Lien Foods' soybean salad oil was found to contain超标 levels of benzopyrene, a carcinogen, sparking a food safety crisis and public panic, further complicating the year-end election landscape.

"Goddess of Credit Cards" Yang Hui-ju posted on Facebook on the 17th, criticizing DPP spokesperson Wu Cheng for inappropriate remarks on the toxic oil scandal and former Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien's baseball stadium controversy. She stated that the DPP's support rate has dropped by at least 5% this week.

Why did Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an call for a Ketagalan Boulevard rally?

This year marks the 'Nine-in-One' local elections, and民生 issues are under intense public scrutiny. As the toxic oil scandal continues to escalate, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an launched a rally titled "Forcing Me to Eat Poisonous Oil, Forcing Me to the Streets" on July 17, urging the public to gather on Ketagalan Boulevard on July 25 to voice demands to the central government. He criticized that "food safety is national security," calling on President Lai Ching-te to apologize to the nation and Premier Cho Jung-tai to resign. Chiang's call has been supported by other mayors, including Taichung Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (third from left, front row) visited the KMT Legislative Caucus on the 17th to discuss edible oil safety issues with KMT legislators. (Photo credit: Ko Cheng-hui)

Who is responsible for the toxic oil scandal? Why did Wu Cheng's remarks spark controversy?

Notably, media commentator Huang Yang-ming clashed with DPP spokesperson Wu Cheng on the political talk show "Villager University" on the 16th, igniting a firestorm. During the show, Huang angrily asked, "Can't victims speak up? 'I didn't know I was eating it!'" Wu retorted, "It's not like I forced you to eat it!" This remark immediately drew massive online criticism.

In addition to Taiwan's stock market recording its largest single-day drop in history—falling nearly 3,000 points on the 17th—Yang Hui-ju pointed out that Wu Cheng's inappropriate remarks and Premier Cho Jung-tai's delayed apology (over half a month after the scandal) without resignation have severely damaged public trust.

Yang further analyzed that Lin Chih-chien's Hsinchu baseball stadium project was found to have serious flaws after a four-year investigation by the Control Yuan, while prosecutors remain inactive. Additionally, revelations that Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-cher and legislator Wang Ting-yu were informants in political student networks have compounded the DPP's political damage. This series of scandals has caused the DPP to suffer a major blow, with support dropping at least 5% this week.

Yang concluded by naming Cho Jung-tai, Wu Cheng, and Health and Welfare Minister Shih Chong-liang as the 'Three Explosive Trio,' warning that if they continue to neglect their duties and refuse to resign, they will further erode President Lai Ching-te's popularity and the DPP's election prospects at year-end.