A New Taipei City councilor has been charged with trying to bribe a city official to steer a public construction contract, a blow to the ruling opposition KMT's image on graft.

• Prosecutors say KMT councilor Wang Wei-yuan hid NT$200,000 in cash inside a liquor gift box and gave it to the city's market administration chief.
• The goal was to help a favored architecture firm win a contract worth over NT$20 million to redesign and rebuild a public market in Wanli.
• The firm did not meet the bidding rules at first, but the qualification requirement was removed after it filed a formal challenge.
• The official did not notice the cash at the time, found it days later at home, and turned the money and the box over to the city's ethics office.
• Wang denies wrongdoing and accused the official of knowingly taking the bribe; prosecutors are asking for at least three years in prison plus a fine.

Outlook: The case now goes to court, where Wang faces a corruption trial while remaining free on NT$2 million bail.