Judicial system ought to impose responsibility on Sheen
In the heart of Taiwan's business landscape, a storm of controversy swirls around entrepreneur Shein Ching-jing, with allegations of corruption and questionable practices casting a shadow over his dealings. Thirty years ago, Shein made a bold move, seizing control of two major state-owned enterprises - BES Engineering Corp and China Petrochemical Development Corp (CPDC) - with little resistance. This move, followed by the alleged siphoning off of their assets, set the stage for a series of controversies that have followed him ever since. Shein's actions extended beyond the seizure of state enterprises. From 2010 to 2018, he lobbied the Taipei City Government, particularly Hau Lung-bin and Ko Wen-je, to increase the floor area ratio for the Core Pacific City mall. His alleged efforts to bribe Ko and his team to illegally increase the ratio for the mall redevelopment have been a point of contention. The entrepreneur who organized about 30 meetings with Ko's team and allegedly exerted pressure through inappropriate means to promote the Core Pacific City Mall project was identified as Hsu Hsiao-hua. With the support of Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying, Shein is accused of exerting pressure, including alleged payments to Ko's aides, to approve the project. In September 2021, Ko's administration approved the project, granting an FAR increase to 840 percent, which generated more than NT$40 billion in added property value. However, these actions have led to public scrutiny, with Chinese Nationalist Party Taipei City Councilor Yu Shu-hui accusing Ko's administration of granting improper floor area bonuses to the Core Pacific City mall. The judiciary is urged to stop Shein's alleged illegal activities, and the public attention surrounding the Core Pacific City corruption case has long centered on whether Ko accepted bribes. In a twist, Ko himself accused former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin of corruption in the Taiwan Intelligent Fiber Optic Network Consortium case last year. Shein's actions, from seizing state enterprises to allegedly bribing Ko, suggest a pattern of greed and brazenness. Yet, it is important to note that a coalition of academic and corporate figures successfully resisted Shein in his attempts to gain control of Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp and China Steel Corp. Jang Show-ling, an adjunct professor in National Taiwan University's economics department, has made statements about Shein's actions, adding fuel to the ongoing debate. As the investigation continues, the public awaits the outcome, hoping for a resolution that upholds the principles of fairness and transparency in Taiwan's business and political landscape.
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