TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lawmakers from Taiwan’s opposition parties criticized the National Security Council and the President’s Office on Wednesday for skipping a scheduled questioning session in the Legislative Yuan, citing recent Chinese espionage cases as cause for their attendance.

Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Huang Jen (黃仁), convener of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, said he regretted the absence of both offices, per CNA. He pointed to the ongoing investigation involving a former aide to NSC Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), and alleged Chinese spy activity linked to the president’s former consultant Wu Shang-yu (吳尚雨).

Huang pointed out that the NSC and the President’s Office must face the public, urging both entities to reconsider their responsibilities amid mounting national security concerns.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) countered that the NSC, under the Constitution and related laws, is not required to appear before legislative committees. That is, unless the hearing pertains to its own proposed legislation or budget, as it serves as a consultative body rather than an executive agency, per NOWNews.

Earlier this week, the NSC also ignored an invitation from the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee. Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) echoed concerns about transparency, also citing Wu’s former aide in the espionage probe, per Storm Media.

Following the absence, Huang Kuo-chang and KMT Legislator Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) introduced and passed a motion to formally censure Wu. The NSC later defended its nonappearance, citing constitutional provisions, related laws, and longstanding precedent, per SETN.

The watchdog group Citizen Congress Watch has long criticized the lack of oversight over Taiwan’s national security bodies, per NOWNews. In a 2017 statement, the group noted that from 2002 to 2017, the NSC attended only 52% of legislative questioning sessions. Attendance dropped to just 10% for NSC secretary-generals.

CCW emphasized that according to Taiwan’s NSC Organization Act, both the NSC and its subordinate agency, the National Security Bureau, are subject to legislative oversight. However, the group also noted that attitudes toward enforcement of this oversight shift with changes in the ruling party, often citing the organization's advisory role to skirt around oversight.

The CCW has recommended that the Legislature pursue legal reforms to clearly define the extent of its oversight authority over the NSC and related bodies.