KMT blames Overseas Community Affairs Council for failing to report funds for 13 months

TAIPEI, Oct. 15 — Chen Yi-xin, chair of the Kuomintang’s (KMT) Publicity and Culture Committee, criticized Acting OCAC Chairwoman Li Yan-hui during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs Committee, accusing her of "dereliction of duty" and "disrespecting the legislature" for allowing incomplete financial reports on overseas inspection trips to be submitted to Congress. Chen noted that the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council (OCAC) had failed to provide complete expense reports for 13 consecutive months. In response, OCAC stated at the same meeting that it would soon submit the expense execution report for the 114th year of the Republic of China (2025) to fill the gap. This exchange highlighted vulnerabilities in the financial transparency and legislative oversight mechanisms of Taiwan’s government departments, sparking deeper discussions regarding the operational model and fund utilization efficiency of the OCAC.

Since the 1970s, the OCAC has served as the central government agency responsible for coordinating relations between Taiwan and overseas Chinese communities worldwide. Its mandate encompasses cultural exchanges, economic cooperation, liaison with civil society organizations, and advisory services on international affairs. The agency organizes numerous "overseas inspection" trips annually to enhance Taiwan’s visibility in the international community. These activities require substantial financial expenditure, as well as rigorous budget formulation and execution oversight. Under the Government Financial Management Act and the Budget Act, all central government agencies are required to submit detailed financial reports to the Legislative Yuan within specified deadlines after the annual budget execution period, for review by legislators. The OCAC’s failure to provide complete reports for 13 consecutive months violated statutory procedures and prevented legislators from effectively overseeing the agency’s financial status.

Chen’s criticism also illuminated the function of "party-based oversight" within Taiwan’s political system. As a major party group in the Legislative Yuan, the KMT’s Publicity and Culture Committee is responsible for reviewing government affairs in the fields of culture, education, media, and overseas relations. When government agencies fail to provide transparent financial data, the oversight responsibilities of the party group are amplified. Chen pointed out that "dereliction of duty" is not merely an administrative error but a contempt for legislative procedures, which could undermine public trust in government financial management. The accusation also served as a reminder to government agencies that they must uphold transparency and accountability, even during interim leadership periods, to avoid trust crises triggered by incomplete data.

The OCAC stated at the meeting that it would submit the 2025 expense execution report soon and committed to strengthening its internal audit mechanisms to prevent similar incidents from recurring. Although specific reasons were not disclosed, it is speculated that the issue may stem from internal audit processes, information system integration, or human resource allocation. If the OCAC can complete the report and provide full documentation to the Legislative Yuan in the short term, it will help restore legislators’ confidence in their oversight capabilities. However, if the issue involves deeper organizational management flaws, temporary supplementary reporting may not resolve the root cause. In such a case, it may be necessary to consider enhancing inter-departmental coordination, upgrading financial informatization, or even adjusting the OCAC’s organizational structure to ensure its effective execution