President, Premier Respond to Embarassing Scandal|取消禮遇 出訪團比照一般旅客規定查驗

President Tsai Ing-wen has ordered a retroactive "bad habit" review in the wake of the cigarette smuggling scandal involving her security personnel. She has also canceled overseas tour courtesies so that in the future, the luggage of her entourage will be inspected like any other traveler unless there are national security concerns. Premier Su Tseng-chang, meanwhile, is calling for a strict investigation and strict prosecution. Transportation and Communications Minister Lin Chia-lung also says China Airlines will start an investigation and no one will be protected.


I felt the emotions and mutual support of overseas compatriots and our friends in the Taiwanese business community during this journey of persevering freedom and democracy.

President Tsai Ing-wen recently received a delegation from the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce. In an earlier Facebook post, Tsai addressed the embarrassing cigarette-smuggling scandal involving her security personnel, saying she has already met with Presidential Office Secretary-General Chen Chu and National Security Council Secretary-General David Lee and they would cooperate with the internal investigation. Tsai also said there would be a review of past "bad" practices to prevent them in the future and vowed to "deeply reflect" on what happened. In addition, she said her entourage would have their luggage inspected like all other travelers on future overseas trips.

If there are no national security or relatively "confidential" issues to consider, members of the entourage traveling overseas with the president will have their luggage inspected at random by customs like all other travelers.

The scandal has been a huge embarrassment to the National Security Bureau and Premier Su Tseng-chang is calling for a thorough investigation and prosecution. Transportation and Communications Minister Lin Chia-lung, meanwhile, is blaming China Airlines for negligence. Lin says there will be a thorough investigation and the persons responsible will not be let off the hook.

Strict investigation and strict prosecution: Everything should be handled by the book. Whatever should be evaluated and prevented and wherever blame should be assigned should be evaluated, prevented and assigned.

This may have to do with things that happened in the past. This is what the public suspects. We absolutely cannot proceed with an investigation investigating this one-time incidence of illegal conduct. We must thoroughly investigate as far back as it goes to identify who was negligent.

The parties involved in the cigarette smuggling have tried to deflect responsibility by claiming the practice goes back to the Ma administration. Lin says the investigation will go where it will go and just because something was tolerated in the past doesn't mean it will be tolerated now. Lin also called for a speedy investigation and said any crimes that come to light should be shouldered with courage so that public trust can be reclaimed.



總統 蔡英文表示：「自由民主永續之旅，我也感受到旅外僑胞，和我們台商朋友，對台灣情義相挺。」

接見世界台灣商會聯合總會訪問團，總統蔡英文回憶出訪旅程，但國安局官員利用這次出訪走私菸品，蔡英文在臉書發文表示一早邀集總統府秘書長陳菊以及國安會秘書長李大維會商，除了配合司法偵辦機關內部調查外，也要檢討過往陋習加以杜絕完整反省，未來出訪團成員回國行李通關將取消禮遇。

總統府發言人 丁允恭表示：「出訪這些成員，如果不涉及國安機敏，這些比較機密部分以外，都要比照一般旅客，來給海關進行抽檢。」

利用總統出訪專機走私菸品，重挫國安形象，行政院長蘇貞昌也要求嚴查嚴辦，交通部長林佳龍則坦承這是長年陋習，對於華航疏失責任將全面調查，絕不護短。

行政院長 蘇貞昌表示：「嚴查嚴辦，從制度面作業面，該檢討該防止該究責都要做。」

交通部長 林佳龍表示：「這個是涉及可能歷年來情形，外界有所質疑，我們絕對不能只針對一次涉及違法行為進行調查，必須全面無上限進行調查，釐清疏失責任。」

追查歷年走私菸品行為，是否會查到馬政府任內，林佳龍表示查到哪辦到哪，過去可以，不代表現在就可以縱容，對於調查期限，則是越快越好，並強調發現問題勇於承擔責任，才能重新獲得社會信任。