President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will need to choose a replacement for Vice Premier Lin Hsin-i (林信義) who is skilled in economics and finance should Lin insist on leaving the Cabinet, analysts said yesterday.
"The ability to carry out the DPP government's economic and financial policies should be the key credential of Lin's replacement," said Chen Po-chih (陳博志), chairman of Taiwan Thinktank.
Lin, who is also chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, submitted his resignation to Premier Yu Shyi-kun on Tuesday.
A business leader who refused to be identified said that Lin is "sure to quit his post since he is tired of being a politician and has long been frustrated by the fact that he isn't fully authorized to take charge of the nation's economic and business planning."
As for Lin's replacement, Chen Po-chih said the president should look for candidates from his pool of officials with experience in economics and finance instead of figures from the private sector.
"New faces from the private sector will need more time to get familiar with the government's policy initiatives before actually administering the nation's economic and financial affairs," Chen said.
A quick way to fill the void is to promote outstanding officials, Chen said, pointing to figures such as Ho Mei-yueh (
Analysts have expressed concern that Chen Shui-bian hasn't proposed any clear policies to improve the nation's economy over the next four years.
Chen Po-chih said the DPP does have a set of policy initiatives such as creating a knowledge-based economy and making the country a global logistics center, as well as a series of measures to improve the nation's competitiveness and market liberalization.
"They are all part of the DPP's economic package `Challenge 2008: the Development Plan of Taiwan,'" Chen said. "It's a matter of implementing, not planning."
DPP Legislator Lin Chung-cheng (林忠正) agreed, saying :"The importance of a team of economic and financial experts, instead of some individual to exert leadership, should be stressed."
While approving of Lin Hsin-i's performance, Lin Chung-cheng said the post of vice premier is a political appointment and that this person should be required to deal with both political and economic issues.
"After all, running a country is very different from running a company," Lin Chung-cheng said, adding that recruits from the private sector often lack the political skills to smooth the policy-making process.
PFP Legislator Norman Yin (
Yin disapproved of Lin Hsin-i's performance, saying, "Lin may have experience with the auto business, but is someone who knows nothing about the nation's most-important high-tech industries."
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