Lai declines to appear at impeachment hearing on constitutional grounds

Lai declines to appear at impeachment hearing on constitutional grounds

2026-01-21

Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday lashed out at President Lai Ching-te after he was a no-show at a hearing on an impeachment initiative directed at him. The Presidential Office explained the Legislative Yuan legally did not have the power to hold a president accountable, and so President Lai declined an invitation from opposition lawmakers to go to the legislature. TPP lawmaker Huang Kuo-chang and the KMT’s Fu Kun-chi flew into a tirade of criticisms of the president, while DPP lawmakers countered that two thirds of votes from the legislature is needed to impeach President Lai, and so the opposition lacks the numbers. The DPP says that’s why it’s all a show to drum up publicity for their candidates in the year-end local elections.

Bringing out life-sized effigies portraying President Lai Ching-te as an emperor of antiquity and self-proclaimed monarch Yuan Shikai, the opposition parties continued with impeachment proceedings on Wednesday. The Legislative Yuan held a plenary hearing and invited President Lai. But the Presidential Office said that Lai would not attend as the Legislative Yuan does not have the authority to hold the president accountable. That only gave opposition politicians more reason to hurl insults at him.

Huang Kuo-chang
TPP caucus convener
Laws passed by the legislature with three readings are not done for any lawmaker’s personal gain. The laws we passed in three readings are related to the allocation of fiscal revenues and expenditures between the central and local governments. As the president is dictatorial, it is the Legislative Yuan’s inescapable responsibility to exercise the power of impeachment in accordance with the Constitution.

Chung Chia-pin
DPP caucus
You can’t get two-thirds of supporting votes before May. How do you think you can do this? If you can’t get two-thirds of impeachment votes now, do you think you can get them before May? You say you’ll go on nationwide speaking tours. Why? To build momentum for the TPP’s mayoral candidates. They are fighting for the mayoral seats of KMT incumbents and yet, you’re foolishly helping them stage this tour, essentially going through the motions for show.

The DPP is criticizing the TPP’s high profile impeachment push, arguing it’s just to get media exposure ahead of the year-end mayoral elections. Furthermore, according to laws governing the Legislative Yuan’s authority, while the legislature has the power to impeach the president, there’s no article stipulating that the president needs to be present. However, KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi paid no attention and lashed out at everything, from US tariffs placed on Taiwan to TSMC’s direct investments in the US.

Fu Kun-chi
KMT caucus whip
He has not only corrupted Taiwan’s democracy and constitutional system, but also destroyed our national security, our defense shield, and our economy, including TSMC, which is our pride and is world renowned. All citizens should join in to impeach Lai Ching-te.

Puma Shen
DPP lawmaker
So it goes like, TSMC does too well, that’s not OK, come here and we’ll question you. You negotiated tariffs well, that’s not OK, come here and we will question you. Today we’ll approve your budget and you still dare to resist coming here and answering questions? What kind of democracy is this? Isn’t the budget session supposed to be about reviewing the budget? The budget has been sitting here since last August. It’s been 146 days, but you are using this impeachment case to put on a political show.

There will be another day of plenary committee meetings on Thursday. Instead of reviewing the general budget, the opposition is dealing with impeachment proceedings that are unlikely to pass. The DPP is questioning whether the KMT and TPP are only focused on political infighting, instead of people’s livelihoods.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Taiwanpolitics #Taiwanimpeachment #impeachment #賴清德 #彈劾案

總統未列席立院彈劾綠批藍白"用彈劾當政治表演舞台"

2026-01-21

藍白對總統賴清德提出彈劾案，不過賴總統以立院無權向總統問責為由不出席，黃國昌、傅崐萁兩人開罵，從總統不來國會、到台積電、關稅談判什麼都罵，民進黨立委沈伯洋反擊，藍白就是見不得國家好，硬要把總統叫來問話，還擱置總預算不審，用彈劾案當自己的政治表演。

搬出人型看板，表演道具做足，藍白針對總統賴清德提出彈劾案，立法院召開全院委員會，但總統府回函，以立院無直接向總統問責之權不列席，在野照樣開罵。

[[民眾黨團總召黃國昌]]
“國會所三讀通過的法律，不是任何立法委員要自肥，我們所三讀通過的法律，攸關的是有關中央跟地方，財政收支劃分。獨裁總統，依照憲法行使彈劾權，就是立法院責無旁貸的責任。”

[[民進黨團幹事長鍾佳濱]]
“在今年五月之前，你拿不到三分之二，難道你現在拿得到，你現在拿不到彈劾三分之二，五月就拿得到？你說要全國巡迴演講，為什麼？為民眾黨的縣市長候選人暖身啊，搶國民黨現在在任縣市長席次的時候，你還傻傻幫他辦巡迴舞台啊，根本打假球。”

綠營回批，白營大動作搞彈劾，根本是為年底縣市首長選舉爭曝光。何況根據立院職權行使法，國會有權對總統提彈劾、但條文沒規定總統必須到，不過傅總召不以為意，從台美關稅罵到台積電，什麼都能批。

[[國民黨團總召傅萁]]
“他不只敗壞了台灣的民主權憲政，更毀壞了我們的國家安全，以及我們的國防之盾，還有我們經濟，引以為傲，世界之光的台積電。全民一起彈劾賴清德。”

[[立委(民) 沈伯洋]]
“台積電表現得太好，不可以，來這邊給我問話；你關稅談得好，不行，來這邊給我問話。你今天我要通過你的財政，你竟然還敢反抗，過來給我問話，這是哪門子的民主啊？預算會期應該做的事情，不是審預算嗎？預算從去年八月躺到現在，經過了146天，然後順便再用這個彈劾案，來做一個政治的表演。”

週四還有一天全院委員會，放著總預算不審，處理不會過關的彈劾，綠營質疑藍白只為政治鬥爭，不管民生。

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Tu Chun-kuan
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The band is committed to making people more familiar with traditional instruments by incorporating pop culture.

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Young audiences have reacted very enthusiastically to the band’s innovative approach.

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The kids even listen to these songs at school. Some songs are so popular that they reach all corners of society, connecting generations and fusing cultures.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Japan’s Kumamoto promises to spare no effort following helicopter crash

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The police temporarily suspended search-and-rescue efforts last night, and resumed it on site this morning, as they assessed the situation and continued to track down the three victims’ whereabouts.

Early in the morning, Japanese authorities gathered almost 50 rescuers by Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture. They are now part of a command center guiding the search-and-rescue mission for the two missing Taiwanese tourists and Japanese pilot. The conditions were harsh, with temperatures dipping as low as -4.2°C. Snowfall persisted, and volcanic gases filled the air, making it difficult to get close to the crater and thus hindering their efforts.

The search is on. However, due to harsh weather and a high concentration of volcanic gases, it’s a tough road ahead for the mission.

Thick smoke significantly lowered visibility around the crater and drones couldn’t be deployed, making the mission almost impossible. A day earlier, rescuers identified remains of the helicopter by the largest crater of Mount Aso. However, the two Taiwanese tourists and the 64-year-old Japanese pilot remain missing. The incident sparked discussions about the helicopter itself.

They flew on a Robinson R44, a light, four-seat single-engine helicopter. It’s simple, lightweight and cost-effective. According to an expert, turbulence can be quite strong near a volcanic crater, making this non-fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft a rather risky choice.

Hwang Tay-lin
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This is the single-engine Robinson R44 helicopter. It was actually manufactured more than 30 years ago. In the event that the engine malfunctions, there isn’t another engine to keep it up. Additionally, it can be quite turbulent in volcanic areas. A light helicopter plus turbulence multiplies the risk.

Family members of the two Taiwanese tourists arrived in Japan Wednesday, assisted by Taiwan’s representative office in Fukuoka. The governor of Kumamoto Prefecture, Kimura Takashi also issued a statement on video, promising to spare no effort in the search-and-rescue mission.

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What question would you like to ask today?
I want to ask about work.
Ok, let’s take a look at your fortune.

Temple attendants here at the bustling Xingtian Temple in Taipei keep busy interpreting fortunes for worshipers, even on weekdays. The temple recently caught attention for its job post seeking an attendant for a monthly salary of up to NT$48,000.

Member of public
You can stay within the Buddha’s aura. For NT$48,000, it’s possible if you have the time.

Member of public
If I had the ability, I might apply.

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I’ve been here 17 years, but I’ve never been abroad. Since we’re an incorporated foundation, our income and expenditures are subject to government oversight. All the kind donations from our devotees are spent where it counts most, on top of maintaining temple operations. So we spend it on social welfare. For instance, we offer scholarships to students from low-income families, emergency relief, aid during wintertime, and even lend a hand during natural disasters.

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The coworkers sitting beside you every day may have special skills tailored for the workplace, but are useless everywhere else. Workers at the Zhubei Farmers’ Association in Hsinchu made a video showing off their unique skills. One of them, a human money-counting machine, can grab precisely the right amount of bills. Even more astonishing, another can calculate precise figures using only an abacus. Viewers were charmed by the video, asking if everyone at the farmers’ association is as talented.

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Monotonous work can be enjoyable in its own way. Habitual actions can become second nature.

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