National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Der-sheng (蔡得勝) resigned yesterday citing health reasons and is to be succeeded by Deputy Ministry of National Defense Lee Hsiang-chou (李翔宙), the National Security Council said in an announcement.
The NSC statement said Tsai has been plagued by eye problems and had tendered his resignation to NSC Secretary-General King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) last weekend.
Despite calls by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and King to stay on in the position, the statement said that Tsai quoted his doctor as saying he needed to be treated and get some rest.
Ma accepted Tsai’s resignation and appointed him to the position of presidential national policy adviser, alongside former defense minister Kao Hua-chu (高華柱).
Tsai and Kao’s appointments will last until the end of the year, the Presidential Office said.
Meanwhile, the NSB said that Lee is “more than qualified” for his new job as he has served as deputy head of the president’s security, head of the Military Police Command, Command of Army Command Headquarters and vice chief of the General Staff.
Lee was among the 37 military officers reprimanded by the ministry over a closely watched case in July last year surrounding the death of army corporal Hung Chung-chiu (洪仲丘).
Hung died three days prior to finishing his military service, due to heat exhaustion allegedly caused by intensive training administered with malignant intent.
At the time of the controversy, Lee offered an apology to the public and Hung’s family and pledged to bring all responsible parties to justice.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
A Chinese takeover of Taiwan would severely threaten the national security of the US, Japan, the Philippines and other nations, while global economic losses could reach US$10 trillion, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) wrote in an article published yesterday in Foreign Affairs. “The future of Taiwan is not merely a regional concern; it is a test of whether the international order can withstand the pressure of authoritarian expansionism,” Lin wrote in the article titled “Taiwan’s Plan for Peace Through Strength — How Investments in Resilience Can Deter Beijing.” Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) intent to take Taiwan by force