Sorry, with my thesis due so soon I’ve been negligent on covering the connection between food and politics in Taiwan. But how could I have missed this story!?
One minute they were sitting in a conference hall having lunch, engaged in a strongly worded discussion about international arms sales.
The next minute it was the lunch that was doing the talking, as the island’s lawmakers hurled rice, meat, vegetables and even hard-boiled eggs across the room.
According to the Associated Press news agency, a local TV crew caught the incident on camera, but said it was difficult to tell who had started the food fight.
Opposition member Chu Fong-chi was filmed shouting at ruling party delegates, and then ducking to avoid something being thrown in her direction.
She quickly responded, picking up a cardboard lunch box and throwing it at another legislator, Chen Chong-yi.
Mr Chen gave as good as he got, leaving Ms Chu with what appeared to be food stains on the back of her blouse.
“My whole body smells like a lunch box!” she is said to have yelled.
The ministerial food fight was all over in minutes, with the only evidence being a few pieces of egg and fistfuls of rice in various corners of the otherwise austere conference hall.
