Wang Yung-ching's (王永慶) shot of cool economic reason stirred the highest levels of government and the political spectrum yesterday prompting a meeting with Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) and another with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) today.
Chang met with Formosa Plastics Group (
Cabinet members would also attend the breakfast summits Wang proposed held among business and government leaders to discuss the nation's economic woes, Chang said. He was accompanied by Vice Premier Lai Ying-jaw (賴英照) and Cabinet secretary Chiou Yi-jen (邱義仁).
The meeting came a day after Wang urged politicians to end the political squabbling and focus on the business of managing the nation's economy.
But the premier also used the opportunity to attempt to assuage Wang's fears pointing out that in the 40 days he had been in office he had drafted more than 10 measures to stabilize the government and bolster the economy.
Chang listed the organizing of meetings on building a knowledge-based economy in Taiwan, next January's planned national summit on economic development and the attempted passage by the government of revisions to the Labor Law.
Many of the measures including the working hours issue, however, had been sunk by political infighting, admitted Chang.
And while Wang affirmed that the government was worked hard, he also said that it's ideas on the economy have been "mixed up" and that the economic problems cannot be solved in one day.
"The industrial sector has been becoming more and more concerned by the economic situation which has been worsening day by day," Wang said.
Wang said confidence would only come from political stability.
Wang will get his chance to express his ideas on economic development with President Chen this morning, when he is scehduled to lead a delegation of business heads, including Quanta Computer head Barry Lam (林百里).
It is likely that Wang will make a case for the opening of direct links with China, an issue the 83-year old tycoon has felt strongly about for years.
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