Ting Hsin International Group's former chairman Wei Ying-chung is not a member of the Executive Yuan Board of Food and Medicine Safety, Executive Yuan Spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun clarified today in response to a legislator's concerns about Wei's involvement in the board. Ting Hsin is at the center of the latest food safety scandal to hit Taiwan.
Wei had been invited to serve on an earlier food safety board from August 2011 to August 2013 as a representative of the Taiwan Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Development Association, Sun said. After the Executive Yuan reorganized that board into the Board of Food and Medicine Safety in September 2013, the GMP association, and hence Wei, were no longer invited to participate.
Since the food safety board was established in August 2009, its main function has been advising the Executive Yuan on policies, mechanisms and other important matters relating to food safety. Its members include heads of government agencies, experts, scholars, and representatives of private organizations and consumer groups. The board meets once every six months or as needed throughout the year.
Wei attended only one meeting while on the food safety board, the Executive Yuan said. He also served as chairman of the GMP association from November 2009 to December 2013 but stepped down after a food safety scare erupted involving the popular Tatung brand of cooking oils.