Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) President Wu Rong-i (
"I am quite confident that I will take advantage of my expertise in economic issues to provide my professional analysis, study and advice to help Premier Frank Hsieh," Wu said during a press conference at the Cabinet yesterday morning.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
After Hsieh became premier on Jan. 25, he lobbied to have KMT lawmaker Chiang Pin-kun (江丙坤), who is also vice chairman of the party and former chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, to become vice premier. However, KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) never gave his blessing to the appointment, and so Chiang did not give Hsieh an answer to his offer.
Hsieh said that he had considered Wu as a second choice for the spot, because his priority had been to try to get a member of the opposition camp to join the Cabinet.
"While I first spoke with Wu, I explained clearly to him that my priority was Chiang due to political concerns, and he understood and supported me for this arrangement," Hsieh said. "For that, I appreciate his understanding and would like to apologize to him for keeping him waiting and making him my second choice."
At the press conference, Hsieh said that he had opened the door to Chiang to join the Cabinet, but that he could not keep his team and the public waiting indefinitely.
Wu is a well-known supporter of former president Lee Teng-hui's (
Asked whether he will continue to urge local enterprises not to invest in or move their facilities to China, Wu said that he will merely provide his professional advice to his superiors.
Opposition parties were negative in their reaction to the news of Wu's appointment yesterday.
"Currently, I can't see how this appointment will have any effect on improving Taiwan's economy, because Wu Rong-i is conservative in his policy about investing in China," People First Party (PFP) legislative whip Liu Wen-hsiung (
"The KMT respects the wishes of the DPP and the premier," said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus whip Huang Teh-fu (黃德福) yesterday. "What we care about the most is whether they will nominate capable individuals. But from past examples, we can see that even if talented individuals enter the Chen Shui-bian administration, under a such a willful leadership, those individuals will burn out."
Leaders of business groups, who have been urging that someone with a business background be named as vice premier, yesterday welcomed Wu's appointment, but also expressed regret that Chiang had not taken up the post.
"Wu is an appropriate pick for the position, considering his sophisticated management ability and insights into macroeconomic and industrial policies," Theodore Huang (
Although Wu has less political experience than Chiang, as president of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (
Wu possesses a doctoral degree in economics from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. He has been president of TIER since 1994. Prior to that post, he was an economics professor and director at National Chung Hsing University. Wu has also been a senior economic advisor to different government offices, including the Presidential Office, the Cabinet and the Ministry of Finance.
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