Overseas Taiwanese community leaders in Canada are publicly backing Taiwan's top overseas-affairs official, pushing back on claims her foreign trips were disguised vacations — a win for the minister in a political fight at home.

• Taiwan's opposition party held a July 28 press conference accusing the Overseas Community Affairs Council and minister Hsu Chia-ching of "fake inspections, real tourism" on overseas trips.
• Honorary community officials in Canada issued a joint statement calling that charge false, saying the job requires showing up in person to meet scattered communities across a huge country.
• They argue the value of connecting Taiwan to its diaspora can't be measured just by trip days or travel costs.
• Local leaders point to Hsu's packed three-day visit to a Vancouver-area anniversary event, followed by a rushed trip to Seattle, as proof of real work.
• The group says it supports lawmakers' oversight of public spending, but insists criticism must rest on verified facts, and any improper spending should be pursued through legal channels.

Outlook: The community leaders are gathering signatures to back Hsu, so the dispute over her spending and travel is likely to keep running as a political flashpoint in Taiwan.