ISSUE 312                                                                                            September  15, 2025
After Year-Long Detention, Ko Released on Bail, Criticizes President Lai for Dividing Taiwan
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Ko Wen-je, former chairman of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), was released on bail for a staggering NT$70 million (about US$2.3 million). More than 41 percent of the public believe Ko's case is "wrongful imprisonment.
Comprehensive Report

41.6% Find Ko Wrongfully Imprisoned, Majority Upset with Prosecution's Performance

 

Ko Wen-je, former Taipei mayor and former chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) accused of corruption in the Living Mall case, had been detained for a full year before finally being released on September 8 with an unprecedented NT$70 million (approximately US$2.3 million) bail. He fiercely criticized the judiciary, insisting the case was a wrongful imprisonment: “Why let the entire nation fall into division? Lai Ching-te, think carefully!” He declared he would never surrender, never bow down.
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Ko returned to politics after being released from detention, angrily lashing out at President Lai Ching-te and vowing to launch a retaliatory campaign against the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Ko Aims Fury at President Lai

 

After enduring a year of dark, endless detention, Ko Wen-je, former Taipei mayor and former chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), finally “saw the light of day” on September 8, leaving his cell with an electronic ankle monitor as he walked out of the Taipei District Court. Supporters erupted in thunderous cheers, accompanied by louder shouts condemning judicial injustice. The ruling camp calculated that Mr. Ko’s release on bail was the perfect opportunity to fracture cooperation between the Kuomintang (KMT) and TPP, but the outcome may not be as favorable to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as imagined.
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The DPP's international publicity efforts backfired, as foreign media shifted towards criticizing the Lai administration and failure of the mass recall campaign.

Foreign Journalists Blow the Whistle, Exposing Collapse of DPP's Manufactured Image of Democracy

 

Before the mass recall vote in July, many foreign media outlets consistently labeled the Kuomintang (KMT) as a “pro-China party.” When the opposition parties cut budgets, reports framed it as weakening the administration of President Lai Ching-te in terms of “resistance to China.” After the recall’s failure, however, foreign media dramatically shifted tone, criticizing the recall as lacking legitimacy and concluding that the root cause lay in the Lai administration’s governance failures. Recently, British executive Ed Moon resigned from TaiwanPlus due to unbearable political interference and malicious attacks, relocating his family back to the United Kingdom. In his parting statement, he exposed the DPP’s “external propaganda” as hollow and unsustainable.
This Week in Taiwan
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President Lai stated that he does not accept the "One China" principle as a precondition for negotiations. Mainland China reiterated that it will only accept the "One China" framework and "1992 Consensus" as the basis for talks.

September 7:

Taiya Renewable Energy's plan to install 58 onshore wind turbines along the Taitung coast has sparked strong local opposition. Both the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and Ministry of Environment (MOENV) issued formal letters to the company, conveying local concerns. The MOENV went further, stating in official documents that it neither encourages nor supports the development and pledged strict scrutiny during the environmental review process. Environmental groups noted that this rare public stance may signal a shift in government attitude, especially following the recent recall vote and the overwhelming approval for extending the life of the Third Nuclear Power Plant.

 

September 8:

According to the latest report from the National Audit Office, nearly 70 percent of the verified "fish-electricity symbiosis" sites have failed to implement actual aquaculture operations, resulting in electricity generation without fish farming. Several local governments admitted to lacking sufficient personnel for inspections and said that frequent changes to inspection guidelines have made enforcement difficult. As a result, some operators prioritize solar power installation over aquaculture.

 

September 8:

Ko Wen-je, former Taipei Mayor and former chairman of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), who had been detained for a year on corruption charges, was finally released on bail. Ko claimed that he was wrongfully imprisoned and harshly criticized President Lai Ching-te, accusing him of dividing Taiwan. However, after prosecutors filed an appeal, the Taiwan High Court returned the case to the Taipei District Court for reconsideration, leaving Ko's bail status uncertain.A new poll by the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation shows that 54 percent of respondents are dissatisfied with the prosecutors' handling of Ko's case, while 26.8 percent are satisfied. Compared to eight months ago, satisfaction dropped by 13.7 percentage points, and dissatisfaction surged by 17.9 points. Additionally, 42 percent agree with Ko's claim of wrongful imprisonment.

 

September 8:

In a recent interview, President Lai stated that cross-strait negotiations must be based on mutual respect and equality, and that Taiwan cannot be expected to relinquish its sovereignty or accept the "One China" principle as a precondition for talks. In response, the Taiwan Affairs Office of mainland China's State Council stated that negotiations could resume if the Democratic Progressive Party administration returns to the "One China" principle and 1992 Consensus as a shared political foundation. Otherwise, any talks would be meaningless.

 

September 9:

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) released the latest import-export statistics. From January to August, Taiwan's exports to the United States reached $117.1 billion, a surge of over 50 percent, breaking the previous full-year record ahead of schedule. The trade surplus with the U.S. during this period was $85.4 billion. The MOF estimates that the full-year surplus could exceed $100 billion.

 

September 9:

During a trial run of the gas-fired unit at the Taiwan Power Company's Hsinta Power Plant in Kaohsiung, a suspected natural gas leak triggered an explosion. Nationwide power supply was placed on alert, with the nighttime reserve margin dropping to just 3% at one point. Opposition parties questioned whether Taipower had rushed the project to meet the "nuclear-free homeland" energy policy objective, leading to the incident. According to this year's report from the National Audit Office, the plant's coal storage facility has spontaneously combusted 255 times over the past three years.

 

September 10:

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced new regulations: Due to increasing political control by Communist China over Hong Kong and Macau and its intensified united front tactics targeting Taiwan, all government personnel traveling to Hong Kong or Macau, regardless of the day or purpose, must report their plans in advance and complete registration in the personnel attendance system. If meeting or contacting particular individuals, they must proactively notify their agency and the MAC.

 

September 12:

This year's Taipei-Shanghai Twin Cities Forum has finalized its schedule. The main forum will be held on September 26, and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an will lead a delegation to Shanghai from September 25 to 27, his second visit since taking office. The Taipei City Government has submitted an application to the MAC. Two memorandums of cooperation are expected to be signed this year.
Published since 2019 by the Fair Winds Foundation and Association of Foreign Relations, Taiwan Weekly provides in-depth report and analysis of the major issues facing Taiwan.

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