The man in line to become the nation's next premier was busy receiving possible new Cabinet members yesterday at his official residence in downtown Taipei.
Yu Shyi-kun, currently the secretary-general to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), may announce the new Cabinet lineup this afternoon.
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES
According to sources at the Presidential Office, the new Cabinet members could be sworn in on Wednesday.
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Seen entering Yu's residence yesterday were Chiou I-jen (邱義仁), Cabinet secretary-general; Su Tzen-ping (蘇正平), head of the Government Information Office; Chen Che-nan (陳哲男), deputy secretary-general to the president; and Chang Fu-mei (張富美), chairwoman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission.
According to sources, President Chen has already decided who will head the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mainland Affairs Council. The president will let the new premier appoint the other members of the new "combative Cabinet," they said.
Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is expected to retain her post as chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council. Chief of the General Staff Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) is expected to be promoted to defense minister.
Eugene Chien (
Sources say Vice Premier Lai In-jaw (賴英照) is likely to step down from his post. The vacancy may be filled by a non-DPP member with a strong financial background.
Lai, who served on the Council of Grand Justices before taking up his current position, might return to his previous job.
Chiou also may step down and be appointed as a minister without portfolio.
Other Cabinet officials who might step down include Chang Po-ya (
Those likely to hang onto their jobs include Chen Ding-nan (
Yen and Tang are two of the five KMT members who hold positions in the current Cabinet.
Premier Chang remained low key yesterday over the impending Cabinet reshuffle. "I totally respect the decision made by President Chen," Chang said yesterday on an environmental inspection trip conducted in his hometown of Kaohsiung.
The Tourism Administration yesterday announced that it would reward repeat international visitors with incentives of up to NT$8,000 to boost inbound tourism. The incentives are available to all international tourists, it said, adding that repeat visitors would be rewarded with NT$5,000 and would receive an additional NT$3,000 if they bring travel companions. The nation received 2,990,657 inbound visitors during the first quarter, marking a 3.8 percent increase from the same period last year, agency data showed. Japanese nationals are among groups visiting Taiwan the most. About 1.48 million Japanese tourists arrived last year, a year-on-year increase of more than 12
66 FIGHTER JETS: The aircraft is likely undergoing preparations for its transfer to Taiwan — a significant step forward in the nation’s modernization program, a lawmaker said The first of Taiwan’s order of F-16V Block 70 aircraft has been sighted in Texas ahead of delivery, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) said. Taiwan’s first F-16V Block 70 two-seat aircraft, tail number 6831, was seen flying from Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Greenville, South Carolina, to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in Texas, Wang wrote on Facebook yesterday. The plane is likely undergoing preparations for its transfer to Taiwan, marking a significant step forward in the Republic of China Air Force’s modernization program, Wang said, citing military analysts. The F-16V Block 70 is a new-build version
‘BRAZEN’: The holiday did not stop China from activities that infringe on Taiwan’s maritime jurisdiction, but the CGA is ready to defend the nation, Kuan Bi-ling said Beijing is intensifying maritime pressure on Taiwan, but the nation will never yield, Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister Sung Chen-en (宋承恩) said. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) has adopted a “shadowing and monitoring” approach to avoid falling into a Chinese trap to escalate tensions and deepen the conflict, Sung said in an interview published yesterday in the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper). China Coast Guard formations patrolling waters east of Taiwan, as well as official Chinese vessels entering areas around Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) and Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) show Beijing’s attempts to significantly step up
BOOST: By operating the same advanced systems as the US military, Taiwan would be better positioned to share and integrate intelligence with partners, an expert said The first batch of MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones has arrived in Taiwan, and is being assembled and tested by drone manufacturer General Atomics and the military ahead of flight trials as part of the air force’s acquisition to bolster its aerial surveillance capabilities, a source said yesterday. The air force allocated a budget of NT$21.7 billion (US$687 million) from 2022 to 2029 to procure four MQ-9B uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) manufactured by General Atomics along with associated equipment such as ground control stations. The US has agreed to deliver the four MQ-9Bs to Taiwan in two batches this year and next
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