Abuse of power? Row raised over Taiwan Palace Museum director’s move to Beijing shortly after rule change

Taiwan museum says Feng Ming-chu herself changed regulation that allowed her to take on new role without seeking its approval beforehand

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Museum-goers examine a painting at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:02am, 10 Sep 2016Updated: 10:03pm, 10 Sep 2016

A job offer to Taiwan’s former Palace Museum director inviting her to become an advisor to Beijing’s own Palace Museum, has sparked a row on the island.

Hong Kong-born Feng Ming-chu , 66, recently took up the offer with the Beijing museum, with which she had worked closely with during her four-year stint as the Taiwan museum’s director.

Her move comes less than four months after her resignation from the Taiwan museum in May, following a transfer of power when the Democratic Progessive Party’s Tsai Ing-wen took office as the self-ruled island’s new leader.

“What she did would hurt [Taiwan’s] interests,” DPP legislator Ho Hsin-chun said on Friday, adding that she was concerned Feng might leak the museum’s security deployment details and other secrets.

Taiwan’s National Palace Museum is seen from a hilltop view, in Taipei. Photo: AP

Under Taiwanese law, former government officials are required, for a period of time ranging between three months and three years after leaving their post, to obtain approval from the agencies they previously worked for before visiting mainland China.

Abuse of power? Row raised over Taiwan Palace Museum director’s move to Beijing shortly after rule change

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Taiwan museum says Feng Ming-chu herself changed regulation that allowed her to take on new role without seeking its approval beforehand

Taiwan museum says Feng Ming-chu herself changed regulation that allowed her to take on new role without seeking its approval beforehand