Draft Amendment to Food Safety Act to Be Submitted to Executive Yuan Council on the 23rd! Asked About Minister Shih's Status, Premier Cho Responds in 6 Words

Amid the spreading carcinogenic oil scandal, the Executive Yuan will propose an amendment to the Food Safety Act to clarify responsibilities between central and local authorities and define obligations for future reporting agencies. Premier Cho Jung-tai stated today (20) in a press interview that the draft amendment to the Food Safety Act will be submitted to the Executive Yuan Council for discussion this Thursday. Key points include strengthening source management, production process oversight, revising the abnormal incident reporting system, and advancing digital governance of food products.

When asked by the media whether discussions have taken place regarding the status of Health and Welfare Minister Shih Chung-liang, Premier Cho responded: 'Everyone keep working hard.'

This afternoon, Premier Cho attended the '115th Local Public Officials Election Inspection, Prosecution, Investigation, and Anti-Corruption High-Level Officials Election Monitoring Seminar.' When questioned about the key points of the Executive Yuan's version of the Food Safety Act amendment, Cho explained that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had presented progress updates from the past week to the Executive Yuan this morning and completed inspections on all batches of oil products. The FDA will later release a detailed written statement to the public.

Premier Cho stated that subsequent amendments to the Food Safety Act, along with revisions to related enforcement regulations and laws, will proceed in sequence. The draft amendment will be submitted to the Executive Yuan Council this Thursday. He outlined 'five key enhancements': strengthening source management, production process management, revising the abnormal reporting system, and advancing digital governance of food—all of which are central to the proposed revisions.

Cho noted that the legislature has also proposed amendments. On public issues, he emphasized the importance of rational and constructive discussions between parties to complement each other's strengths. The Executive Yuan will consider various opinions and appropriately incorporate measures already implemented in response to the current food safety crisis—such as preventive product recalls and enhanced penalties—into the legal framework to strengthen overall food safety management.

Regarding future negotiations with opposition party caucuses on the amendment content, Premier Cho stated that the Executive Yuan welcomes rational and open discussions on public issues within the legislative chambers. When again asked about Minister Shih's status, Cho reiterated: 'Everyone keep working hard.'