Prosecutor-General Nominee's Path Through the Ranks
United Daily News Editorial, March 31, 2022
President Tsai Ing-wen sent the prosecutor-general's nomination letter to the Legislative Yuan today. It is no surprise that the current chief prosecutor of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office, Hsing Tai-chao, was nominated. Since the Tsai administration took office, Mr. Hsing can be said to have had "triple jump" promotion. In July 2016, he served as chief prosecutor of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. In February 2020, he was promoted to chief prosecutor of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office. It has only been two years when he was nominated as the prosecutor-general of the Supreme Prosecutors Office. For Mr. Hsing to become the nation’s top prosecutor, it is already a done deal.
Of course, it's no accident that Mr. Hsing is so appreciated by President Tsai. One of the secrets of success is oppressing and prosecuting the opposition Kuomintang (KMT). During his tenure as chief prosecutor of the Taipei Prosecutors Office, the most indicative major case was the KMT's so-called “three Cs” case (involving the assets of China Broadcasting Corporation, China Television Company, and Central Motion Picture Corporation). This old case, which had already been closed by the Special Investigation Division (SPD), was restarted under the leadership of chief prosecutor Hsing. Consequently, former President Ma Ying-jeou and a bunch of related people were prosecuted. Although President Ma was acquitted in the first trial, severe damage was done to the KMT. Even if the verdict is not guilty, it is, of course, Mr. Hsing’s great achievement.
The second secret is wholehearted defense of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The most well-known case is the illicit cigarette smuggling in the Office of the President in 2019. This case was first handled by the New Taipei City Field Division of the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau and New Taipei District Prosecutors Office. In terms of the place of occurrence, it was under the jurisdiction of the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office. But Mr. Hsing broke in halfway and abruptly transferred the case to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. As a result, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office really met with the expectations. A string of "little brothers" were prosecuted. As for political figures, almost all of them won an easy pass.
The third tip is acting smart is better than acting early. In November 2019, after the Taipei District Prosecutors Office prosecuted the illicit cigarette smuggling case in the Office of the President, Mr. Hsing was promoted to chief prosecutor of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office within three months. At a critical moment when the new prosecutor-general was to be nominated, Mr. Hsing stood up again, leading the investigation at the national security level into the 303-blackout case. With such a skill to grasp the timing, it seems difficult not to impress President Tsai.
The fourth trick is loyalty without regard for professionalism. During the investigation of the “Three-C” case, the well-known criminal evidence given to President Ma by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office included "colluding with lawyers" and exercising the right to silence as "bad attitude". In addition, the KMT disposed of its property according to the three laws related to broadcasting and television, but the Taipei Prosecutors Office actually indicated that even if the KMT did not abide by the law, it would be "just fined." During the investigation of the 303-blackout case by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, chief prosecutor Hsing's statements of "beware of anti-social elements taking the opportunity to disturb popular feelings" and "it is not ruled out that animals were thrown in from outside to deliberately cause power failure" shocked the general public and seriously undermined the general perception of the so-called "legal profession."
Mr. Hsing Tai-chao did make such remarks out of his way. He could have stated this, of course, not on the basis of professionalism, but because a professional person can say extremely unprofessional words for political stance, and he can show more loyalty than unprofessional people making unprofessional statements. Such remarks, as long as Mr. Hsing himself is not embarrassed, can only make others embarrassed. Mr. Hsing also proved that although cheekiness is shameful, it is really useful.
Aspirants, however, should have seen how Mr. Hsing demonstrated the four secrets of securing rapid promotion.