MAC Inspects Vietnam, OCAC Submits 8-Page Report? Shen Cheng-nan Reveals Details of Two Officials' Trips: Hsu Chia-ching Essentially Took a Solo Trip Across Europe and America

On the 28th, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Legislative Caucus held a press conference, revealing that MAC Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung and OCAC Chair Hsu Chia-ching had conducted overseas inspections. However, the submitted reports were vague and only a few pages long, leading the party to question whether these were 'fake inspections under the guise of tourism.' In the afternoon, Hsu Chia-ching held an emergency press conference, stating that full disclosure of the itinerary and exchange content could involve sensitive diplomatic and national security information. Regarding this, Dr. Shen Cheng-nan, who recently returned to Facebook, posted new content on the 29th, publishing the trip reports of both individuals. He pointed out that Hsu Chia-ching spent over 20 days traveling solo across Europe and America, calling it essentially a 'self-guided solo trip,' and sarcastically remarked, 'Is this the standard of Taiwan's political appointees?'

What were the inspection contents of Hsu Chia-ching and Shen Yu-chung? What does Shen Cheng-nan think?

Shen Cheng-nan cited Hsu Chia-ching's inspection report, noting it was only 8 pages including the cover and photos, and entirely consisted of itineraries. He questioned the necessity of the OCAC Chair, who spent over 20 days abroad without returning to Taiwan for work. Hsu emphasized she traveled alone for meetings and claimed the report contained classified information that, if fully disclosed, could be exploited by China. 'Who would be interested in meetings with pro-DPP groups in the U.S.?' he asked. Shen also expressed sympathy for grassroots civil servants, stating that when supervisors repeatedly take 10- to 20-day overseas trips, subordinates are left overwhelmed and unable to take vacations.

Regarding the MAC, Shen posted Shen Yu-chung's inspection report from Vietnam, criticizing its weak connection to official duties. The report suggested 'strengthening think tank exchanges between Taiwan, Vietnam, and China,' which Shen dismissed as 'deceptive.' He questioned how the MAC, which oversees cross-strait affairs, could promote exchanges with mainland China, referencing Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh's statement that 'engaging with the mainland means being sold out.' Shen further mocked Shen Yu-chung's claim of having no private time during his 4-day Hanoi trip except for morning jogs, asking, 'Didn’t he enjoy coffee at a Viet Cong café?' and suggesting he was 'simply enjoying the excellent jogging environment around Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi’s old district.'

Why are the OCAC and MAC overseas inspections controversial? What are the TPP’s accusations?

TPP Caucus Convener Chen Ching-lung pointed out at the 28th press conference that the MAC’s 2026 overseas inspection budget is approximately NT$8.756 million, over three times higher than the previous year. However, Shen Yu-chung’s 4-day inspection trip to Vietnam in May yielded a public report of only about 3 pages, containing only brief descriptions of 'reasons, process, insights, and recommendations.' There was no explanation of the exchanges or outcomes achieved, which Chen criticized as 'worse than an elementary school report.' As for the OCAC, its 2026 inspection budget exceeds NT$20.9 million. Hsu Chia-ching traveled across 7 countries including France and the UK for 26 consecutive days from April to May, but the public inspection report is only about 5 pages, mostly consisting of itinerary records and general descriptions, lacking specific policy achievements—thus constituting 'fake inspections, real tourism,' according to the TPP.

Are the inspection reports 'too concise'? Responses from Shen Yu-chung and Hsu Chia-ching

In response, Shen Yu-chung explained that his 4-day Vietnam inspection cost approximately NT$140,000 and involved high-level meetings with Vietnamese officials, discussing China’s gray-zone conflicts. He emphasized that the MAC not only manages cross-strait exchanges but also conducts intelligence sharing with democratic nations interested in the Taiwan Strait situation, which explains the increased inspection budget this year. On the other hand, the OCAC held a press conference on the afternoon of the 28th, where Hsu Chia-ching explained that from April 22 to May 18, she visited 7 countries, inspected language learning centers, and engaged with Taiwanese business groups to enhance investment effectiveness. She noted that full public disclosure of reports would require redaction of sensitive information to prevent China from obtaining all data. For formal information requests, the OCAC would provide a detailed version.