State Affairs Fund Cut and Frozen: No Money to Buy Mooncake Gifts from Sheltered Workshops? Huang Kuo-chang Slams Lai Qingde: 'Earns NT$460,000—Use Your Own Money'

The 2025 Central Government General Budget Bill recently passed its third reading. A proposal by Kuomintang legislator Weng Hsiao-ling and others reduced the Presidential Office's 'State Affairs Fund' from NT$30 million to NT$10 million and froze the remaining NT$20 million. As a result, the Presidential Office's planned procurement of 15,000 Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake gift boxes from 37 sheltered workshops may be affected.

Huang Kuo-chang, chairman of the Taiwan People's Party, responded today (20th) when asked about the issue, stating, 'The condition for unfreezing the State Affairs Fund is actually very simple: if Lai Qingde legally promulgates the law, it will be unfrozen immediately.' Huang harshly criticized Lai, saying, 'You earn NT$460,000 per month—why don't you use your own salary to buy a few boxes? Don’t use taxpayers’ money to gain personal merit. Merit isn’t earned that way.'

The Presidential Office had originally procured Mid-Autumn mooncake gifts from sheltered workshops, but due to the fund's reduction and freeze, related orders are now at risk. Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an today urged the public to actively purchase products from sheltered workshops, hoping to mitigate the impact on these organizations and public welfare groups.

Huang questioned why the Presidential Office held a press conference today with sheltered workshops due to the fund freeze. He urged the DPP government to 'honestly face Taiwanese society' and stop using hardworking public welfare groups as a 'fig leaf' to cover up Lai Qingde's unconstitutional actions.

Regarding the Legislative Yuan's resolution to freeze the State Affairs Fund, Huang emphasized, 'The condition for unfreezing is simple: if Lai Qingde legally promulgates the law, it will be unfrozen immediately. There’s no need for press conferences—Lai just needs to do what he’s constitutionally obligated to do.'

Huang criticized the Lai administration for lacking genuine care for the vulnerable, pointing out that despite promises during this year’s general debate to submit the Executive Yuan’s version of the Social Assistance Act before the end of the session, it has yet to be delivered.

Huang stressed that Taiwan is a society full of love, and people are willing to support products from sheltered workshops. 'I used my own money—without taking a single dollar from the state or receiving a government salary—and bought 100 mooncake sets from sheltered workshops,' he said.

He challenged Lai: 'You earn NT$460,000 a month—how many boxes will you buy with your own money? If DPP officials truly care, they should use their own money, not taxpayers’ funds.'