Taiwan's Anti-Corruption Campaign 

 * The new chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), Cheng Wen-tsan, was charged with bribery on July 5, 2024, for actions took place during his tenure as Taoyuan County magistrate from 2014-2022. It was a surprise that shocked many, in and out of, the ruling DPP.

* Shortly following Cheng's arraignment, President Lai Ching-teh reiterated his commitment to clean, corruption free government. So, Cheng's prosecution is viewed locally not as an isolated incident, but possibly the tip of iceberg as Lai pushes ahead with reforms aimed to restore public confidence in DPP governance and the independence of Taiwan's judiciary.

* Following the arraignment, Cheng resigned from his position as SEF chair--exactly one month after his confirmation on June 7. Long regarded as a pragmatic China hand within the DPP, many thought Cheng was in position to thaw the frosty cross-Strait relations and deescalate tensions between the two feuding neighbors. With his removal, however, the outlook remains in limbo until the next SEF chair is nominated and confirmed, latest by early August.

* Cheng has been a rising star in the DPP since his election as Taoyuan magistrate in 2014. During his eight years, Cheng has built relationships with political leaders and influencers across party lines. In addition, he has always maintained a good relationship with former President Tsai Ing-wen, who had, at one time, plans to groom Cheng as the heir apparent. However, Cheng's inability to campaign successfully for DPP nominee during the 2022 mayoral race derailed such plans and subsequently eliminated Cheng as a potential presidential challenger to Lai, the eventual DPP nominee.

* Cheng will likely be bogged down with the courts in the next few years. Though it maybe too early to bypass Cheng completely in future political discussions, the recent corruption allegations maybe too much for anyone to recover.