Opposition lawmakers attacked the Executive Yuan on Monday for spending over NT$800,000 on new furniture for Taipei Guesthouse, an upscale reception facility reserved only for foreign dignitaries and high-ranking government officials.

"Why should the government spend NT$16,000 on a trash can while the people are struggling to survive each day?" questioned Kuomintang lawmaker Chiang Lien-fu.

"This is an obvious waste of taxpayer money," Chiang added while pointing to a list of new furniture and appliances, such as an NT$18,500 vacuum cleaner, NT$51,000 television cabinet, and a wireless telephone set priced at NT$57,000, at a press conference.

"The current decor of the guesthouse is already extremely extravagant, with all the fancy European style furniture. Why is it truly necessary to buy new pieces?" he asked.

The legislator claimed that it was Premier Su Tseng-chang （蘇貞昌） who gave the order to buy the expensive items, but the Foreign Ministry took responsibility for the move and said the new additions were necessary to fit the style of the guesthouse.

Lee Fang-cheng, of the Foreign Ministrys Department of General Affairs, said the new items were purchased to match the buildings elegance.

"If I could make the decision over again, I would still purchase the same items using the same amount of money," Lee said, stressing he was solely responsible for the move. Urging the opposition not to direct blame at the premier, Lee pledged to step down if he was found to have done anything wrong in making the purchases.