Will the Executive Yuan Refuse to Co-Sign? Cho Criticizes Han for 'Forgetting to Read the Constitution'

The Executive Yuan recently announced for the fourth time that it would not co-sign bills passed by the Legislative Yuan at third reading, prompting Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu to take to Facebook, questioning who had given the Executive Yuan the authority to repeatedly reject laws approved by the legislature. "Executive power, no matter how great, must never exceed the Constitution," Han stated.

In response, Premier Cho Jung-tai fired back on Facebook the same evening: "I’d also like to say to Speaker Han: You’ve read many classical texts, but you seem to have forgotten to read the Constitution and the Budget Act properly!"

On the afternoon of the 20th, Han Kuo-yu, in a rare move, held a joint press interview and once again addressed Premier Cho. The two leaders had exchanged barbs on Facebook on the evening of the 18th. Han urged the Executive Yuan to fulfill its constitutional duties, while Cho insisted that the Constitution clearly grants the premier the right to withhold co-signature from legislation that could "harm the nation."

Han made his remarks at a press conference hosted by the Taiwan Democracy Foundation titled "Joint Initiative to Establish the Taiwan Local Government Association," alongside Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an and Taichung Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen.

"I believe Premier Cho has a fundamentally flawed understanding," Han said. According to the Constitution of the Republic of China, the power to withhold co-signature is meant to check the president, not to block bills passed by the legislature through third reading. "One is co-signature, the other is override—these are clearly defined. I regret that Premier Cho is weaponizing the co-signature power, using it as a tool to oppose the Legislative Yuan, the highest representative body of the people. The president has already promulgated the laws, yet the premier refuses to co-sign. This is a grave mistake."

Han urged Cho not to become a force undermining Taiwan’s democratic constitutional order. "Taiwan has long taken pride in its democratic constitutional development. On the hardware side, we have SMEs and TSMC’s unrivaled global semiconductor foundry leadership. On the software side, we are hailed as a model of democracy in Asia. I hope Premier Cho, at this critical juncture, will not become a driver of damage to Taiwan’s democratic constitutional system. I offer him one more phrase: ‘It’s not too late to turn back from a mistaken path; recognize today’s right and yesterday’s wrong.’ Please promptly co-sign all bills passed by the Legislative Yuan."

Han particularly criticized the refusal to co-sign the Children and Youth Future Account Act. Under this bill, every newborn would receive a 60,000 NTD grant, with 5,000 NTD provided monthly until age 18, accumulating to 1.14 million NTD as a financial foundation for young adults. With Taiwan facing a severe demographic crisis, Han emphasized that the bill was the result of tremendous bipartisan effort. "Last year, 200,000 people passed away, but only 100,000 babies were born. In the first half of this year, deaths reached 100,000, while births fell below 50,000. Supporting economically disadvantaged families and treating every newborn as Taiwan’s treasure—shouldn’t the government and parents work together to raise and support them? Why not? I urge Premier Cho to swiftly co-sign all third-reading bills and help safeguard Taiwan’s hard-won democratic constitutional system."

Taichung Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen added, "National leaders must not lead the way in violating the Constitution and disrupting governance." She noted that since Taiwan’s presidents have been directly elected—including Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian, Ma Ying-jeou, and Tsai Ing-wen—even under divided government, all have co-signed and implemented bills passed by the legislature. "Their constitutional adherence, regardless of party, should serve as a reference for today’s leadership. National leaders must not spearhead constitutional violations."

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an stated, "The Executive Yuan is acting arbitrarily and despotically." He criticized the Executive Yuan not only for refusing to co-sign and implement legislation but also for failing to take responsibility or resign over a major tainted cooking oil incident. "This is the height of arbitrariness and authoritarianism. To heal this wound, the perpetrator—the Executive Yuan—must immediately co-sign and enforce all third-reading laws."

Additional exclusive reports from Storm Media: - Poll: Not Lu Hsiu-yen! Who is the top 2028 KMT presidential contender—and surprisingly, who do DPP supporters favor? - Han vs. Cho: Who’s Right? A Simplified Guide to the No-Co-Sign Dispute - Cho Again Refuses to Co-Sign Legislative Bills—Han Warns: 'Executive Power Must Not Exceed the Constitution'