TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Overseas Community Affairs Council Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) defended her son’s participation in the 2025 Dongsha Islands Eco-Camp for Overseas Compatriot Youth, while acknowledging that she should not have signed an official document related to the event.
TVBS reported in 2025 that Hsu allegedly changed the camp’s participation rules to allow her son to attend. A follow-up report said Hsu was fined NT$100,000 (US$3,103) after the Control Yuan found that she had violated conflict-of-interest laws governing public officials.
Hsu defended her son’s eligibility, saying he holds dual nationality and has studied abroad for many years, per Storm Media. She said Taiwanese citizens who have lived abroad for more than two years and are not international students can be considered overseas compatriots, adding that her position as a government minister did not affect her son’s eligibility.
Hsu said she requested her son’s participation because she feared the camp might not be held without enough participants, per UDN. She stressed that neither she nor her son benefited from the decision.
Hsu acknowledged, however, that she should not have signed the official document approving the camp, per Tai Sounds. Asked about her previous statement that she was unaware of the Control Yuan’s official notice when it arrived at her household registration address on July 3, Hsu said she was out of Taiwan at the time and that her family forgot to inform her after she returned.
DPP Legislative Caucus official Fan Yun (范雲) commented on the incident, saying that if Hsu acknowledged making a mistake, she should pay the fine, per ETtoday.
