New Book on 2018 Protests Draws Criticism; Huang Kuo-chang Says It Presents Objective Facts
Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang's new book "Walking Toward the Light" has drawn criticism for its account of the 2018 protests against labor law amendments. Huang insists the content is objective fact, while the New Power Party and DPP figures dispute his version of events.
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- 📰 Published: June 5, 2026 at 12:42
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(Central News Agency reporter Zeng Yining, Taipei, 5th) Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang's new book "Walking Toward the Light" has faced criticism for its account of the 2018 protests against amendments to the Labor Standards Act. Huang stated today that the content in the book "fully presents objective facts" and that he was unaware of the details of Hung Tzu-yung's physical condition at the time.
New Power Party (NPP) Chairperson Wang Wan-yu responded today, stating that it has always been Huang Kuo-chang who launches political attacks. She noted that this event occurred only eight years ago, and the participants at the time still remember it vividly. When Huang was the NPP chairman, all press releases were executed under his will, but changing parties means changing memories, accusing him of "telling a lie, stubbornly persisting, and never admitting fault."
In his book "Walking Toward the Light," Huang describes the situation during the protest against the second revision of the Labor Standards Act at Ketagalan Boulevard in 2018. The book mentions, "Around 4 a.m., perhaps tired, I closed my eyes to rest for a while. When I opened my eyes again, I found the space beside me empty" and "In the end, on the empty Ketagalan Boulevard, only Hsu Yung-ming and I remained."
The NPP yesterday used the prosecutor's non-prosecution disposition and press releases from the time to state that on January 8, 2018, police began clearing the scene from around 4:17 a.m. Legislators Hsu Yung-ming, Huang Kuo-chang, Hung Tzu-yung, and Lin Chang-tso were present and held their ground multiple times. By around 4:30 a.m., all personnel at the scene had been cleared. The NPP claims the book's account clearly does not match the facts and demanded a public apology and correction from Huang.
DPP New Taipei City Councilor Cho Kuan-ting, Hung Tzu-yung's husband, posted on Facebook that Hung had just experienced a miscarriage at the time and her physical condition was very unstable, a fact known to the entire NPP caucus.
Huang, in an interview with media today, emphasized that everything he wrote in the book is objective fact. When asked about the NPP's criticism, he said he completely cannot understand why they would suddenly launch a political attack now.
He stated that his consistent stance is not to speak ill of former comrades who worked together. Regarding Cho Kuan-ting's deliberate distortion of facts for political attack, he said, "I can only say it's very regrettable."
Regarding Hung Tzu-yung's physical condition at the time, Huang said, "How could an outsider know the details of such a private matter? What he said is completely not factual." He added that when finally evicted, he stayed until the end, refused to board the police vehicle, and because he was concerned about others, walked from the Presidential Office to National Taiwan University Hospital, where he was told others had already left, so he left as well.
When pressed by media that the NPP cited the prosecutor's non-prosecution document hoping to clarify the events, Huang argued that the prosecutor's writing was too brief, and he had already fully presented objective facts in his book. He stated, "Now suddenly asking whether the time was 4:17 or 4:32... I really cannot answer questions at that level." (Editor: Hsieh Chia-chen) 1150605
New Power Party (NPP) Chairperson Wang Wan-yu responded today, stating that it has always been Huang Kuo-chang who launches political attacks. She noted that this event occurred only eight years ago, and the participants at the time still remember it vividly. When Huang was the NPP chairman, all press releases were executed under his will, but changing parties means changing memories, accusing him of "telling a lie, stubbornly persisting, and never admitting fault."
In his book "Walking Toward the Light," Huang describes the situation during the protest against the second revision of the Labor Standards Act at Ketagalan Boulevard in 2018. The book mentions, "Around 4 a.m., perhaps tired, I closed my eyes to rest for a while. When I opened my eyes again, I found the space beside me empty" and "In the end, on the empty Ketagalan Boulevard, only Hsu Yung-ming and I remained."
The NPP yesterday used the prosecutor's non-prosecution disposition and press releases from the time to state that on January 8, 2018, police began clearing the scene from around 4:17 a.m. Legislators Hsu Yung-ming, Huang Kuo-chang, Hung Tzu-yung, and Lin Chang-tso were present and held their ground multiple times. By around 4:30 a.m., all personnel at the scene had been cleared. The NPP claims the book's account clearly does not match the facts and demanded a public apology and correction from Huang.
DPP New Taipei City Councilor Cho Kuan-ting, Hung Tzu-yung's husband, posted on Facebook that Hung had just experienced a miscarriage at the time and her physical condition was very unstable, a fact known to the entire NPP caucus.
Huang, in an interview with media today, emphasized that everything he wrote in the book is objective fact. When asked about the NPP's criticism, he said he completely cannot understand why they would suddenly launch a political attack now.
He stated that his consistent stance is not to speak ill of former comrades who worked together. Regarding Cho Kuan-ting's deliberate distortion of facts for political attack, he said, "I can only say it's very regrettable."
Regarding Hung Tzu-yung's physical condition at the time, Huang said, "How could an outsider know the details of such a private matter? What he said is completely not factual." He added that when finally evicted, he stayed until the end, refused to board the police vehicle, and because he was concerned about others, walked from the Presidential Office to National Taiwan University Hospital, where he was told others had already left, so he left as well.
When pressed by media that the NPP cited the prosecutor's non-prosecution document hoping to clarify the events, Huang argued that the prosecutor's writing was too brief, and he had already fully presented objective facts in his book. He stated, "Now suddenly asking whether the time was 4:17 or 4:32... I really cannot answer questions at that level." (Editor: Hsieh Chia-chen) 1150605