Frank Hsieh Once Again Snubs Legislature 立院邀報告福島食品進口爭議 謝長廷再請假

The legislature once again asked Taiwan's Representative to Japan Frank Hsieh to appear and deliver a report on the dispute involving imports of food products from Fukushima and four neighboring cities. Hsieh once again failed to show up.

On the last working day of 2021, the legislature's Foreign and National Defense Committee's agenda included reviewing the Ministry of National Defense budget and hearing a report from Taiwan's Representative to Japan Frank Hsieh on the dispute involving imports of food products from Fukushima and four neighboring cities. However, Hsieh requested a leave of absence and failed to show up. Committee convener Chen I-hsin was extremely dissatisfied, and said Hsieh is deliberately avoiding legislative supervision.

Chen I-hsin, Legislator (KMT): “He's evading the legislature, evading the people. What is the reason for all of this? We know that right now, the government is making plans regarding the issue of imports of food products from Japan's Fukushima and four neighboring cities. If Representative Hsieh can't even face the people and legislature when he's actually in Taiwan, then are they going to quickly announce the opening of imports of food products from Fukushima and four neighboring cities right after he sneaks back to Japan?”

Chen had concerns that the Democratic Progressive Party administration would once again launch a sneak attack along the lines of its sudden announcement to open up Taiwan to imports of US ractopamine pork. He said that if Hsieh continues to fail to show up, he will be condemned. Other Kuomintang legislators felt the same, while DPP legislators felt otherwise.

Lai Shyh-bao, Legislator (KMT): “He thinks he's so important! It's his duty to come here to be questioned and deliver reports, and there is no possible reason for him not to do so. We can't accept this kind of behavior.”

Hsu Chih-chieh, Legislator (DPP): “Perhaps we could hold a formal meeting and formally include it on the agenda and formally discuss it. This is something that needs to be discussed when everyone has the time, instead of changing it into an agenda item at the last second and then demanding it be discussed immediately. I think this way is not helpful.”

Hsieh recently returned to Taiwan to vote in the Dec. 18 referendums. Chen, therefore, adjusted the agenda and invited Hsieh to attend an interpellation on Dec. 23. Hsieh requested a leave of absence. A written Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement said the government's position all along has been to prioritize food safety, and it respects and will conform to the judgment of the authorities in charge of food safety regarding this issue. Meanwhile, Hsieh had time to post on Facebook, where he said that after the town of Wasaka in Tottori Prefecture and Hsinchu County's Hengshan Township signed a sister city agreement, the target of 140 pairs of sister cities was reached and he feels a great sense of achievement.
 

2021最後一個上班日，也是立法院外交及國防委員會本會期最後一天，除了排定審查國防部公務預算，還再度邀請駐日代表謝長廷，前來報告「我國對日關係與福島五縣市食品進口爭議」，但謝長廷再次請假未出席，讓召委陳以信相當不滿，質疑他迴避國會監督。

陳以信表示：「迴避國會，迴避面對國人，到底背後有什麼原因？我們知道現在日本福島5縣市，（食品 ）進口的議題，正在政府裡面，正在進行規劃，如果說在謝代表人在台灣的時候，都不能夠面對國人，不能夠面對國會，是不是他偷偷摸摸回到日本之後，很快的就要來宣布對日本，日本福島5縣市食品的進口突然開放。」

陳以信就擔心民進黨政府再次突襲，像開放美國萊豬進口那樣，開放日本福島食品，強調若是今日下午謝長廷還是不出席，將會予以譴責，藍營立委也同聲批評；綠營立委則幫忙緩頰。

國民黨立委賴士葆表示：「官威好大啊，來備詢來報告，這是他的天職，不可以用任何理由去閃躲，我們不能夠接受這樣的行為。」

民進黨立委許智傑表示：「是不是我們應該正式的會議，正式的編入議程，正式的來討論，這個是需要大家一起有時間來討論，而不是用臨時變更議程，就要臨時的討論，我覺得這樣子比較不周全。」

謝長廷日前特地返台，參與1218四大公投投票，陳以信為此變更議程，23日邀謝長廷到國會備詢，謝長廷也請假。而根據外交部書面報告指出，政府的一貫立場是食安優先，有關日本福島等5縣食品進口管制問題，外交部尊重並配合食安主管機關的專業判斷。謝長廷則在臉書發文表示，在大阪轄區鳥取縣若櫻町和台灣的新竹縣橫山鄉締結友好協定後，台日締結友好城市達到目標140個，強調紥根基層也是很有成就感。