Taipei County Commissioner Su Tseng-chang (
The source said Chiou will replace Kang Ning-hsiang (
The source told the Taipei Times yesterday that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Parris Chang (張旭成) will be invited to serve as NSC deputy secretary-general, while DPP Legislator Chen Chung-hsin (陳忠信), who is also the head of the DPP's Mainland Affairs Department, will be a senior adviser to the NSC.
"The entire arrangement was finalized on Monday night," the aide said.
"Su, who was the DPP's campaign manager for the presidential election, has demonstrated extraordinary achievements as a local government head as well as displayed talent in party affairs; therefore, the president wants to promote Su," the aide said.
Su and Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) are seen as strong contenders to represent the DPP in the 2008 presidential election.
The president also invited DPP Legislator Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) to replace Chen Che-nan (陳哲男) as deputy secretary-general of the Presidential Office.
"Due to the Cabinet reshuffle and the reorganization of Presidential Office personnel, the president asked Chiou, Chen's right-hand man and the DPP's top strategist, to return to the NSC to coordinate these new ministers and high-ranking officials on cross-strait issues and foreign affairs," the aide said.
According to the source, Chang will succeed Antonio Chiang (
Another Presidential Office deputy secretary-general, Joseph Wu (
The US government has signed defense cooperation agreements with Japan and the Philippines to boost the deterrence capabilities of countries in the first island chain, a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The main countries on the first island chain include the two nations and Taiwan. The bureau is to present the report at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee tomorrow. The US military has deployed Typhon missile systems to Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and Zambales province in the Philippines during their joint military exercises. It has also installed NMESIS anti-ship systems in Japan’s Okinawa
‘WIN-WIN’: The Philippines, and central and eastern European countries are important potential drone cooperation partners, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung said Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in an interview published yesterday confirmed that there are joint ventures between Taiwan and Poland in the drone industry. Lin made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper). The government-backed Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance and the Polish Chamber of Unmanned Systems on Wednesday last week signed a memorandum of understanding in Poland to develop a “non-China” supply chain for drones and work together on key technologies. Asked if Taiwan prioritized Poland among central and eastern European countries in drone collaboration, Lin
BACK TO WORK? Prosecutors said they are considering filing an appeal, while the Hsinchu City Government said it has applied for Ann Kao’s reinstatement as mayor The High Court yesterday found suspended Hsinchu mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) not guilty of embezzling assistant fees, reducing her sentence to six months in prison commutable to a fine from seven years and four months. The verdict acquitted Kao of the corruption charge, but found her guilty of causing a public official to commit document forgery. The High Prosecutors’ Office said it is reviewing the ruling and considering whether to file an appeal. The Taipei District Court in July last year sentenced Kao to seven years and four months in prison, along with a four-year deprivation of civil rights, for contravening the Anti-Corruption
NO CONFIDENCE MOTION? The premier said that being toppled by the legislature for defending the Constitution would be a democratic badge of honor for him Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday announced that the Cabinet would not countersign the amendments to the local revenue-sharing law passed by the Legislative Yuan last month. Cho said the decision not to countersign the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法) was made in accordance with the Constitution. “The decision aims to safeguard our Constitution,” he said. The Constitution stipulates the president shall, in accordance with law, promulgate laws and issue mandates with the countersignature of the head of the Executive Yuan, or with the countersignatures of both the head of the Executive Yuan and ministers or