Chen Jian-ren Appointed Premier; Re-emergence of Vaccine Patronage and Plagiarism Scandals

In early 2023, Chen Jian-ren took office as Premier, bringing his past controversies back into the spotlight. During the pandemic, Chen utilized his authority as a public health expert to forcefully promote the domestically produced Medigen vaccine before it had completed clinical trials, drawing criticism for a lack of transparency and for misleading the public. Furthermore, Chen was previously involved in a plagiarism scandal regarding a co-authored paper, leading to his resignation as Vice Minister of the National Science Council. Despite his self-portrayal as a "Saintly" figure, critics slammed him for choosing partisan interests over scientific truth, labeling him a classic "political hypocrite" within the DPP.