President Lai's bank deposits increase in latest assets declaration

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) bank deposits increased by about NT$9.09 million (US$310,769) in one year, according to the latest assets declaration report released by the Control Yuan on Tuesday.

In the asset declaration report, the Control Yuan said Lai declared on Nov. 1, 2024 that he had bank deposits totaling NT$11.25 million, up from NT$2.16 million he declared in November 2023, while the president's home mortgage fell by NT$1.4 million from the previous filing to NT$12.46 million.

It was the first assets declaration by Lai in his capacity as president for Lai since taking office in May 2024. Before that, Lai served as the vice president of the Republic of China, Taiwan's formal name.

The report showed that Lai also declared the ownership of land and a building located in Anping District of Tainan and one Toyota car, unchanged from the previous declaration.

In addition, the president declared he held NT$11.86 million in marketable securities, which were all U.S. treasuries.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) held three parcels of land and seven buildings located in Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung and Tainan cities, according to his latest assets declaration report, with two of the land parcels and two of the buildings placed under trust.

Lin also declared he had NT$119 million in bank deposits, NT$500,000 in cash, NT$268 million in marketable securities and NT$70.59 million in mutual fund beneficiary certificates, according to the report.

The report also showed that National Security Council Secretary General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) declared ownership of three parcels of land and three buildings located in Taipei and Changhua County, with two of the three lots of land in Changhua placed in trust.

Wu also held NT$12.27 million in bank deposits, NT$319,600 in cash, NT$1.24 million in marketable securities and NT$1.24 million in bonds, according to the report.