TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — DPP New Taipei mayoral candidate Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧) on Tuesday rejected accusations that her sister, Su Chiao-chun (蘇巧純), benefited from the political influence of their father, former Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), in securing government-related business opportunities.
During a Tuesday press conference, TPP New Taipei City Council candidate Lin Tzu-yu (林子宇) said that after Su Chiao-chun joined Quants AI (曠世智能), owner of the investment platform ScanTrader, in 2021 as a board member, the company received roughly NT$19 million (US$633,000) from the National Development Fund in 2022, per UP Media. She added that the company later received additional investment from Taiwan Business Bank and the National Development Fund totaling about US$1.5 million.
Lin also noted that Quants AI had been implicated in a fraud investigation one month before receiving the 2022 investment. She questioned the review process behind the government funding and noted that the company received NT$1.2 million in government subsidies in 2024 despite downsizing to eight employees, including Su Chiao-chun, amid financial difficulties.
TPP lawmaker Hung Yu-shiang (洪毓祥), citing his previous experience reviewing applications for the Business Angel Investment Program, said Quants AI’s funding amount was only NT$1,000 short of the NT$20 million investment cap. He argued that funding amounts so close to the ceiling are unusual and called on the National Development Council to explain the approval process.
Responding to the allegations, Su Chiao-hui said her sister had received multiple design awards and was recruited because of her professional abilities, per NOWNews. She also questioned the timing of the TPP’s accusations, pointing to recent allegations involving her KMT rival Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) and possible revolving door regulation violations.
In a separate Wednesday press conference, Lin, alongside fellow TPP New Taipei City Council candidates Wu Ya-lin (吳亞倫) and Chen Yu-chieh (陳語倢), also alleged that board members of the eball Foundation, founded by Su Tseng-chang, benefited from government procurement contracts during DPP rule, per Liberty Times. They claimed many of the contracts awarded by the central government were restricted tenders.
Su Chiao-hui’s campaign responded that the individuals named by the TPP candidates are recognized professionals in their respective industries.
Campaign spokesperson Icyang Mahengheng (馬亨亨．夷將) said the TPP intensified attacks on Su’s family after Lee Shu-chuan’s brother, Lee Ssu-fu (李賜福), pleaded guilty in an extortion case and sought a settlement. Although the case predated Lee Shu-chuan’s nomination as the KMT candidate, public attention increased after his candidacy was confirmed.
Questions surrounding Su Chiao-chun’s business dealings first emerged in 2020, when then-KMT Taipei City Councilor Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) alleged that her company, 23Design, had secured numerous government contracts under the DPP administration, per PTS. At the time, Su Chiao-chun said all bidding procedures complied with relevant regulations and announced that her company would stop participating in government tenders while Su Tseng-chang remained premier, per Mirror Media.
