Su releases more names for Cabinet

Premier-designate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday announced Cabinet appointments after releasing more names on Friday night of individuals he selected to head the economics and finance ministries.

Outgoing Minister of the Interior Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) will be the chairman of the Council of Agriculture and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) will take up the interior portfolio.

National Security Bureau Deputy Director Wang Chin-wang (王進旺) has been appointed head of the Coast Guard Administration.

Among those Cabinet members who have been asked to retain their portfolios are Minister of Education Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝), Minister of Justice Morley Shih (施茂林), Department of Health Minister Hou Sheng-mou (侯勝茂), Council of Hakka Affairs Chairman Lee Yung-teh (李永得) and Council of Labor Affairs Chairman Lee Ying-yuan (李應元).

Su said yesterday that his Cabinet will push through cross-strait trade and economic policies in line with President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) New Year message.

In that address Chen said that "active management, effective opening" represents the new mindset and course of action for cross-strait trade and economic policies, replacing "active opening, effective management," which had been pursued by the government since 2001.

Vice premier-designate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the former chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council, is seen as well-versed in financial and economic affairs.

Su said his team will carry out the policies stated in Chen's New Year message and will also heed administrative priorities and the needs of Taiwan.

He said he will elaborate on how he plans to achieve his aims in an administrative report to be submitted at a later date.

Su said his Cabinet choices are based on overall considerations as well as a need for teamwork, although he said he has also considered the willingness of possible candidates to be a part of the Executive Yuan.

Outgoing Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) predicted yesterday that Su's communications with the president will be smoother than his have been.

Hsieh, who will step down tomorrow, said he was not very familiar with the operations of the Presidential Office since he had not served as secretary-general of the Presidential Office prior to his appointment.

But Su, who has previously served as secretary-general of the Presidential Office and as DPP chairman, should have better communications with the president and will have a smoother time pushing through administrative matters, Hsieh said.

Hsieh, who has not always seen eye-to-eye with Chen, refused to comment, however, when asked about his communications with the president and his thoughts on an open letter by former DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) in which Lin urged the exchanges between the president and the premier to conform to the Constitution.

In other developments, the Legislative Yuan has decided to invite Su to present his administrative policies at the legislature on Feb. 21, the day the legislative session reconvenes.

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said that each of the parties' caucuses will select two representatives who will then be allowed to question the new premier after he presents his policy statement.

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