They are old members from Vincent Siew’s (蕭萬長) Cabinet, he said, naming Chiu, Mao, Yin and Tsai Hsun-hsiung.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) also criticized the line up, calling it “old wine in new bottles.”
Political scientist Yang Tai-shuen (楊泰順) of Taipei’s Chinese Culture University was more positive, saying the new ministers will be able to push forward trade liberalization with China, a complex task that will require revising numerous laws and decrees.
“They may be more conservative and less innovative, but they can execute economic policies without delay,” Yang said.
Business leaders yesterday said they expected the newly appointed Cabinet members to spare no time in bailing out the nation’s economy.
General Chamber of Commerce (全國商業總會) chairman Chang Ping-chao (張平沼) yesterday lauded the designated premier’s decision to appoint Chiu as vice premier, Yin as Minister of Economic Affairs and Chen Tain-jy to head the Council for Economic Planning and Development as “good choices.”
“Both Chiu and Yin are familiar with the government’s operations, and will be able to get on the right track in no time,” he said.
Chang also praised Chen Tain-ju as a pragmatic academic with forward-looking views toward the nation’s economic development, saying he is highly qualified for new task.
Roscher Lin (林秉彬), chairman of the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (中小企業協會) agreed, saying the return of the nominees is expected to bring in a sense of stability and familiarity.
Lin, however, said that the business group expected the “old faces to have new ideas” since the global economic environment that Taiwan is facing is different from that of eight years ago when the KMT was last in power.
“They’ve got to introduce some changes, which people are looking forward to, despite the fact they have been government officials before,” he added.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AP
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