A local political fight has broken out in Hualien over whether lawmaker 傅崐萁 is genuinely helping the county's tourism or just grabbing credit — bad news for his image, and a sign of friction inside the county government.

• 傅崐萁 claimed the central government is telling people to stay away from Hualien, then announced the county would top up a new national travel subsidy program.
• DPP county councillor 張美慧 called the logic contradictory: you can't say the government is blocking tourists and also promote its subsidy scheme.
• She noted he is leading a group of lawmakers on a trip to Phu Quoc in Vietnam before the September legislative session, instead of bringing them to Hualien.
• The county's extra tourism subsidy — over NT$240 million — has not yet been reviewed by the county council, which votes at the end of the month.
• 張美慧 accused him of ruling Hualien from behind the curtain, asking who the actual county chief is: 徐榛蔚 or 傅崐萁.

Outlook: The council vote at the end of August will test whether the extra tourism money actually passes, and the credit-taking dispute is likely to keep escalating.