The media has reported that the Legislative Yuan KMT caucus suspects that the secret budget newly-increased by the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) in 2018 is used to subsidize pro-DPP overseas compatriot groups. The OCAC stated that those claims are totally untrue. The OCAC clarified as follows:
1. The purpose of the OCAC’s compatriot affairs work is to bring overseas compatriots together to increase their power and, with a non-partisan approach and unity and harmony, break through difficulties on the diplomatic front and strive to win the support of friendly overseas compatriots for Taiwan. This work is not only connected to the national interest but also involves intense competition with Mainland China. Therefore, related work plans and budget execution situation are not suitable for being made public as the contents of ordinary overseas community service are to prevent Mainland China from obtaining information about the subsidy amount and then seeking to undermine the OCAC’s efforts; this is why a secret budget has been allocated since 2018.
2. The OCAC allocates its secret budget according to the principles of necessity and minimization. As required by law, it sends the budget to the Legislative Yuan for review and is subject to Legislative Yuan review and supervision, so everything is transparent. The alleged situation of subsidizing groups with a certain standpoint to engage in “policy vote buying” does not exist.
