Premier-designate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) unveiled most of the new Cabinet yesterday as the Chen administration attempted to ease tensions with both China and opposition parties at home.
In his first meeting with the international media since being appointed premier, the Kaohsiung mayor set a moderate tone for dealing with Beijing.
"I think it is essential to improve the atmosphere between the two sides," Hsieh said. "We should stop policies or language that provoke one another. My administration should be consistent and predictable, to move toward reconciliation and cooperation."
Hsieh takes charge of the Cabinet at a crucial time in cross-strait relations, with Beijing poised to enact an anti-secession law in March that the government fears will give China a legal basis to attack Taiwan.
"I don't think it is necessary to provoke mainland China, verbally or with our behavior," Hsieh said.
Hsieh said that he would only ask state companies to drop the word "China" from their names if there was a practical reason -- such as avoiding confusion with Chinese firms -- thus reining in the more aggressive approach to the matter adopted by outgoing Premier Yu Shyi-kun.
"I received a lot of challenges from pro-independence leaders regarding this issue but I will do it anyway," Hsieh said.
"I think the Cabinet can suggest practical policies, like the Lunar New Year charter flights, or other measures such as cooperating on a crackdown on cross-strait crime," he said, when asked how he could help improve cross-strait relations.
Direct charter flights are set to commence today, which are hoped will lead to better cross-strait communication.
"The charter flights are a very good example for improving cross-strait relations. We started with consultation and helped decrease tensions," Hsieh said.
During a tea party held yesterday for the new Cabinet, Hsieh named 2005 "a year for Taiwan's health."
"Every year should have a name and a goal for development," Hsieh said. "I think the whole of Taiwan's society has been under a lot of pressure. Everyone needs to reduce pressure and make life happier, so I have named this year `a year for Taiwan's health.'"
Hsieh said the new Cabinet will focus on communication and dialogue with local governments, the legislature and within the ministries.
The government would also improve services and increase convenience for the public, Hsieh said.
"The reason a government exists is to serve the public, isn't it," he added.
Hsieh confirmed that Vice Premier Yeh Chu-lan (
Two confirmed additions to the Cabinet are Minister of Justice-designate Morley Shih (
Reports also said that Democratic Progressive Party Deputy Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) would become Cabinet secretary-general, but Hsieh said that he had no knowledge of the matter.
Hsieh said that the post of vice premier was still open, and he said he had not given up on the possibility of naming an opposition figure as his deputy.
He added that he would announce the names of the vice premier, the secretary-general and other posts on Monday.
"In the past, it was easy to just yell at one another. But now we have to cooperate, we have to find a new model of working together," Hsieh said.
Hsieh had invited Deputy Legislative Speaker Chiang Pin-kun (
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
RSS