Two-Thirds of Vaccine Procurement Contract Blacked Out! Chiang Wan-an Slams DPP: 'Cover-up and Protection Leave Unforgettable Painful Memories'

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tzu Chi Foundation assisted Taiwan in procuring vaccines but was defrauded of NT$1 billion. Although prosecutors have concluded the investigation and filed charges, political controversy has intensified recently. The Green Camp (DPP) attacked Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an for serving as convener of a secret legislative meeting. In response, Chiang Wan-an counterattacked, accusing the DPP of opaque operations and distorting facts.

On the 10th, Mayor Chiang Wan-an responded to criticism from the Green Camp regarding his past role as convener and chair of a secret legislative meeting. Chiang explained that the Legislative Yuan repeatedly demanded meetings to understand the vaccine procurement contract, but the executive branch resisted every step. Only due to his insistence was the meeting finally held as per regulations. However, upon opening the envelope, more than two-thirds of the contract content was blacked out—including exceptions to confidentiality clauses. Chiang demanded full disclosure on the spot, but the Ministry of Health and Welfare hesitated and refused. Ultimately, the vaccine procurement contract was sealed for 30 years. These, he emphasized, are objective facts.

Chiang stressed that these are undeniable truths and condemned the DPP for attempting to rewrite history through distortion. He stated that whether it's the vaccine procurement scandal or recent food safety crises, the DPP government's response has consistently been 'denial, cover-up, and protection.' The entire affair was a black-box operation—an unchangeable fact that inflicted painful experiences on the Taiwanese people, leaving memories that cannot be erased.

In response to DPP legislator Shen Po-yang's accusation that he was 'covering up lies,' Chiang retorted, 'Using one lie to cover a hundred lies' fits the DPP perfectly. He harshly criticized the Green Camp for systematically 'hiding, protecting, blocking, and shielding' everything from vaccines to tainted cooking oil, attempting to make the public forget their misconduct. But, he said, 'the people's eyes are sharp—no matter how many years pass, these memories cannot be washed away.'