TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Constitutional Court justice nominee Chan Chen-jung (詹鎮榮) addressed on Monday a wide range of legal and constitutional issues during a legislative questioning session, including surrogacy, the death penalty, and presidential obligations.

Responding to TPP Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿), Chan said he supports allowing surrogacy under specific circumstances, citing Taiwan’s low birth rate and the needs of individuals who are unable to give birth naturally, per CNA. However, he emphasized that surrogacy should be carefully regulated to protect human dignity, a concern raised by some human rights groups.

When asked whether the president has a constitutional duty to deliver a state of the nation address before the legislature, Chan noted that the Constitution does not mandate such a practice, per Newtalk. Still, he said, it could be enabled through legal mechanisms, including voluntary addresses by the president.

On capital punishment, Chan responded to KMT Legislator Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) by expressing firm support for the death penalty, calling it a way for the state to express justice. He added that society could consider alternatives if there is broad public consensus on other means of delivering justice for the most serious crimes.

Addressing concerns from DPP Legislator Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) about livestreaming court proceedings, Chan warned that improperly edited or manipulated content could require strict regulation, per Tai Sounds. He also expressed concern that livestreaming could exert undue pressure on judges and suggested potentially implementing more restrictive measures to protect the court’s integrity.

In a separate exchange with KMT Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍), Chan addressed the issue of ractopamine labeling, per CNA. While he acknowledged that the Constitutional Court has affirmed the central government’s authority over setting ractopamine residue limits in food products, he said local governments retain the right to require labeling of ractopamine content by sellers.