The constitutional standoff between Taiwan's Executive Yuan and Legislative Yuan has escalated, with the KMT camp turning its fire on Premier Cho Jung-tai — negative news for President Lai Ching-te's administration.

• Cho Jung-tai refused to countersign a bill passed on third reading by the Legislative Yuan, sparking a clash with Legislative Yuan Speaker Han Kuo-yu.
• Chao Shao-kang, former chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of China, criticised the move, saying the power to interpret the Constitution rests with the grand justices and that the premier is not qualified to interpret the Constitution on his own.
• Chao noted that when the two branches are in dispute, it should fall to President Lai Ching-te to step in and mediate, and that Cho's action amounts to usurping the president's authority.
• He stressed that since the founding of the Republic of China's constitutional order there has never been a precedent for refusing to countersign or implement a bill passed on third reading, describing it as more dictatorial than the Chinese Communist Party.
• The point of contention is whether the Legislative Yuan may introduce bills that require spending; by Cho's reasoning, lawmakers would effectively be reduced to a rubber stamp.

Outlook: This countersignature dispute is unlikely to be resolved soon and could end up before the grand justices for a constitutional interpretation, leaving the standoff between the governing and opposition camps even more entrenched.