Shilin District Court Judge Hung Ying-hua (洪英花), who has been critical of procedural aspects of former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) corruption trial, yesterday expressed regret over President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) reported dismissal of her criticism as a violation of legal ethics.

Hung was responding to media reports that quoted Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) relaying comments Ma had reportedly made during a dinner with KMT lawmakers on Wednesday night.

Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday acknowledged meeting Peter Kwok (郭炎), a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), in Hong Kong earlier this month, but denied knowing his political status and insisted he visited the territory to learn about mudslide prevention.

Wu acknowledged his meeting with Kwok on Sept. 5 after the Chinese-language Apple Daily yesterday carried the story with a photo showing Wu standing with Kwok outside a restaurant in central Hong Kong preparing to leave after apparently having a meal together.

The ruckus surrounding Premier Wu Den-yih’s (吳敦義) Hong Kong trip continued to escalate yesterday as the Democratic Progressive Party accused President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Wu of lying about the reasons for Wu’s trip, urging them to tell the truth.

“Wu’s Sept. 5 trip to Hong Kong pertains not only to his allegiance to the country, but also to the honesty of the leader of our country,” DPP spokesman Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) told a news conference. “We therefore hope that Wu and President Ma will clearly explain everything to the public.”