Hou Ho-shong is new vice economic affairs minister

Known for his expertise in water resources management, Hou Ho-shong (侯和雄), former Kaohsiung deputy mayor and currently national policy adviser to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), was yesterday appointed as a vice economic affairs minister. A challenge awaits him, because more is required from a vice economic affairs minister than being competent in managing water resources.

Hou will replace Yin Chi-ming (尹啟銘), who stepped down last week over the recent water-supply problem in Taoyuan County.

Before the decision was announced yesterday by the Cabinet, Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) reiterated several times his hopes of soliciting a water-supply expert to shoulder the position's heavy responsibilities. He especially wanted someone to deal with Taiwan's worsening landslide and water-resources development problems that come to the fore whenever typhoons or torrential rains hit the nation.

Now it appears that Hsieh has recruited a suitable talent to fill the position.

Hou, 61, holds a PhD in civil and oceanographic engineering from the University of Florida and a masters degree in civil engineering from National Cheng Kung University.

He has years of experience in dealing with transportation-related affairs in the provincial government, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and Kaohsiung City Government.

Hou is also a civil engineering and water conservancy technician with credentials issued by the Examination Yuan, the nation's top body dealing with national examinations and the management of all civil-service personnel.

He has served as convener of the major transportation projects reviewing committee at the transportation and communications ministry, as well as deputy convener of Kaohsiung City's mass rapid transit build-operate-transfer (BOT) project.

However, as he has spent most of his career in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, business leaders and academics interviewed by the Taipei Times yesterday all said that they have had no personal dealings with the new vice minister and had only learned about him from recent media reports.

"We respect the Cabinet's decision," said Joseph Wu (吳約西), secretary general of the Water Resources Agency under the ministry. He declined to comment on the appointment.

George Lin (林添貴), deputy secretary general of the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (工商協進會), said that as the economic affairs ministry now has three vice ministers with different areas of responsibility, a response from business circles will only be available after Hsieh details how their duties and responsibilities will be divided.