DPP Secretary-General Wu Nai-jen (
Wu also said that Tang had overburdened President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), and thus incurred great disapproval from opposition parties.
"The Executive Yuan has not responded to the people's expectations of the new government for political reforms since March 18," said Wu speaking to the media yesterday morning and lamenting that, in his view, President Chen and the ruling DPP had had to shoulder all the political responsibility for Tang's formulation of policy.
"Tang only wants to stabilize the bureaucratic system that existed under the former government. He has shown no ability to integrate financial policies and solve political issues," he added. Wu worried that the DPP would lose next year's election in the legislature if Tang did nothing to win the people's confidence.
Wu also attacked Tang for assigning the Cabinet's secretary-general Wea Chi-lin (魏啟林) and Minister without Portfolio Chang Yu-hui (張有惠), regarded as traitors by the KMT, to negotiate with the KMT-dominated legislature.
Responding to Wu's criticism, KMT Secretary-General Lin Feng-cheng (林豐正) said yesterday that the DPP was incomprehensible.
"The DPP was most keen to have Tang lead the Cabinet. Now they are blaming him for not doing a good job," he said.
The spokesperson for the PFP's legislative caucus Lee Ching-an (李慶安) blasted Wu for "speaking out and shifting the blame."
"If the DPP is dissatisfied with Tang, it should report to the DPP's Central Standing Committee instead of making comments to the media. The purpose is to embarrass Tang and to force him to step down," she said.
Lee added that Tang had followed President Chen's instructions on every decision.
PFP lawmaker Chen Chao-jung (陳朝容) further predicted that Tang would probably offer to resign before Sept. 15 since Chen and Tang had disagreed over the building of the Meinung Dam, the fourth Nuclear Power Plant and social welfare policy.
PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) said, however, that Wu's remarks reflected the fact that the DPP's top officials and the people all now doubted the new government's ability to handle financial matters and cross-strait relations.
"It would be a great frustration for Tang to hear Wu's criticism," said Soong, attending the opening ceremony of the preparatory committee of The Foundation of Taiwan History and Culture (台灣文史基金會).
Despite Wu's comments, DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) indicated that he felt it was not fair to put all the blame on Tang even though there were problems of negotiation and integration within the new government.
"I think both Chen and Tang have been too nice to each other. They care too much about what the other thinks. We should encourage and give them more time," he said, after chairing the Kaohsiung City Council meeting yesterday morning.
DPP lawmaker Lee Wen-chun (李文忠) also noted that Wu, "who was too harsh on Tang," should be more careful in making comments to the media since he had a close relationship with President Chen.
On the other hand, Vice Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) praised Tang yesterday in the Executive Yuan. "Premier Tang has been an irreplaceable pillar of political stability. His performance is satisfactory, " he said, appealing to the public to have confidence in the new government.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source