MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh Caught in Heated Tobacco and Private Club Controversies, Raising Public Scrutiny Over Integrity and Lifestyle

From November 5 to 6, 2023, Liang Wen-chieh, the Deputy Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) of the Republic of China, faced intense public scrutiny after being hit by back-to-back controversies. On November 5, he was exposed by opposition legislators for smoking unapproved heated tobacco at a social gathering, violating the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act. The Taipei City Health Department subsequently fined him for the offense. On November 6, a Taipei City Councilor released photos showing Liang entering a high-end private club in Taipei's Daan District late at night on October 27, with several young women seen entering and leaving the venue. This incident sparked public criticism and reignited discussions over his controversial past, including a 2011 trip to Macau where he and fellow politician Cheng Wen-tsan accepted hospitality from a gambling tycoon and visited high-end hostess bars—a fact later confirmed in a civil lawsuit by the High Court. Although Liang claimed he only paid a brief visit to a friend and denied any inappropriate behavior, his presence at such venues and his illegal smoking severely damaged the integrity and public image of government officials in the Republic of China.