Premier-designate Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) announced 17 more members of his Cabinet yesterday, including five women, many of whom are familiar faces from the last Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration.
Liu told a press conference that integrity and competence were the most important criteria he used when deciding Cabinet personnel.
“People have great expectations of us. We have to rely on experienced officials [in the new administration] because there is no room for new Cabinet officials to take time to learn how to handle administrative affairs,” Liu said.
Former finance minister Paul Chiu (邱正雄) was named vice premier while former National Science Council vice chairman Hsueh Hsiang-chuan (薛香川) will become secretary-general of the Executive Yuan.
Chu Yun-peng (朱雲鵬), director of National Central University’s Research Center for Taiwan Economic Development, and Tsai Hsun-hsiung (蔡勳雄), chief executive officer of the KMT’s think tank, were both chosen as ministers without portfolio.
Director of the KMT’s Organization and Development Committee Liao Fung-te (廖風德) will take charge of the Ministry of the Interior, as expected.
Ambassador to Guatemala Francisco Ou (歐鴻鍊) will head the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while former vice economic minister Yiin Chii-ming (尹啟銘) will return as minister of economic affairs.
National Taiwan University (NTU) economics professor Chen Tain-jy (陳添枝) will become head of the Council for Economic Planning and Development.
Former Chunghwa Telecom Co chairman Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) will take charge of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, while NTU Hospital superintendent Lin Fang-yue (林芳郁) will run the Department of Health.
Stephen Shen (沈世宏), director of Taipei City’s Bureau of Environmental Protection, will take over the Environmental Protection Administration, while former vice minister of the Council of Agriculture Chen Wu-hsiung (陳武雄) will now head the council.
The five women include lawyer and convener of the 319 Shooting Truth Investigation Special Committee Wang Ching-feng (王清峰), who was given the Ministry of Justice portfolio; commissioner of Taipei City’s Budget, Accounting and Statistics Department Shih Su-mei (石素梅), who will take over the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics; former KMT legislator Wang Yu-ting (王昱婷), who will lead the National Youth Commission; and long-term women’s rights lawyer Jennifer Wang (王如玄), who will become minister of the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA).
Former KMT legislator Chang Jen-hsiang (章仁香), who is an Amis Aboriginal, who will take charge of the Council of Indigenous Peoples.
The rest of the Cabinet lineup will be announced by the end of this month, Liu said.
Liu said yesterday’s list of nominees was finalized after he, president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and vice president-elect Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) discussed the candidates he had proposed.
However, Liu said Ma played the leading role in deciding the defense, foreign affairs and Mainland Affairs Council portfolios.
Chiu, who also attended the conference, said Ma’s administration would place emphasis on financial reform, adding that the incoming Cabinet should deliberate on how to broaden the scope of the reform while allowing market mechanisms to work.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) lauded the lineup, saying that it was important that the incoming government chiefs wouldn’t have to spend time learning how to deal with administrative affairs.
RSS