Zhonglian CEO Allegedly Attended Key Health Ministry Meeting: Huang Kuo-chang Slams 'Unbearable Collusion Between Officials and Business'

The benzopyrene contamination scandal involving Zhonglian Oils continues to escalate. Huang Kuo-chang, chair of the Taiwan People's Party, stated today (30) that Yu Ling-chong, the detained and isolated general manager of Zhonglian Oils, attended the Ministry of Health and Welfare's expert meeting on July 4 as a representative of the company. Huang questioned whether the company influenced the decision to recall contaminated oil products and condemned the incident as 'unbearable collusion between officials and business,' demanding the Executive Yuan immediately release complete meeting records and transcripts.

However, Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chou-liang stated that the meeting was divided into two sessions. Yu Ling-chong only presented Zhonglian Oils' production processes regarding its restart application and did not participate in subsequent discussions or decisions on the recall standards for contaminated oil. After hearing the report, experts ultimately decided not to approve Zhonglian's resumption of operations.

Why was Zhonglian's CEO allowed to attend the meeting?

KMT legislator Chen Ching-hui revealed during questioning at the Legislative Yuan's Social Welfare and Health Environment Committee today that the Ministry of Health and Welfare convened an expert meeting on July 4 to discuss Zhonglian Oils' resumption of operations and the scope of product recalls. The attendance list included Zhonglian's general manager, Yu Ling-chong.

Yu Ling-chong was later indicted on suspicion of violating the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act and other charges. Prosecutors determined there was a risk of collusion and evidence tampering, leading the Taichung District Court to order his detention without visitation on July 17. Chen questioned why the CEO of a company under investigation was allowed to attend a meeting concerning recall thresholds, demanding the Ministry explain what Yu said during the meeting, what materials were provided, and whether he participated in discussions on the 20% recall threshold.

How did Shih Chou-liang explain the meeting procedure?

Shih responded that Zhonglian sought to resume production, so the Ministry required the company to report on its manufacturing processes and improvements before submitting the case for expert review. He emphasized that Zhonglian did not participate in decisions on recall standards. After hearing the presentation, experts ultimately decided not to approve Zhonglian's restart.

Shih added that the meeting was actually divided into two phases: Yu Ling-chong only attended the restart review portion and did not join the subsequent discussion on the 20% recall threshold. If legislators suspect favoritism, he said, relevant materials could be submitted to prosecutors or investigators for review.

Why does Huang Kuo-chang suspect collusion between officials and business?

Huang stated that since the food safety scandal erupted, he has persistently asked two questions: who decided on July 3 not to initiate a full recall or disclose the list of implicated businesses, and who decided on the 20% recall threshold on July 4. Learning that Zhonglian's CEO attended the meeting further deepened his doubts about the fairness of the decision-making process.

He criticized, 'This entire incident reeks of corruption. The depth of collusion between officials and business is unbearable. The Executive Yuan must immediately release complete meeting records and all transcripts—stop continuing to conceal and protect those involved!'

He also urged the Taipei Prosecutors Office not to keep playing along with the DPP government's empty gestures, warning that otherwise, President Lai Ching-te's claim that 'those responsible must be held accountable without leniency' would become nothing more than a farce.