A Cabinet reshuffle aimed at improving cooperation between ministers and the premier ahead of the nine-in-one local elections is to include Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦).
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) hopes to form a Cabinet that would work well with Premier William Lai (賴清德), an anonymous source said, adding that the new ministers would be announced next week.
The party hopes that the reshuffle, which is the largest since Lai took office 10 months ago, would allow the premier to make smooth progress on key issues such as improving the economy.
A reshuffle in February saw Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) take over from National Security Council Secretary-General David Lee (李大維), who in turn replaced Minister of National Defense Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發).
Then-minister of labor Lin Mei-chu (林美珠) left her position due to health issues and was replaced by former Kaohsiung deputy mayor Hsu Ming-chun (許銘春).
Lai at the time had no intentions of a Cabinet reshuffle, the source said.
Lai, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and other officials held meetings last month, when the president expressed support for another reshuffle, the source said, adding that the DPP views the outcome of the upcoming elections as an evaluation of the government’s performance.
Lai is under a great deal of pressure due to the elections and hopes that the reshuffle would be completed as soon as possible, the source said.
Cabinet spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) is expected take over the post of minister of the interior given his ability to communicate with other parties, the source said, adding that Hsu will likely seek to improve communication between the Cabinet and the legislature.
Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau Director-General Tsai Ching-hsiang (蔡清祥) is likely to take over as minister of justice given his rapport with Lai, while Deputy Minister of Finance Su Jain-rong (蘇建榮) is likely to take over as minister of finance, the source said.
Minister of Justice Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) is likely to be reassigned deputy secretary-general of the Presidential Office, the source said.
DPP Legislator Kolas Yotaka is to take over as Executive Yuan spokesperson, the source added.
Minister of the Interior Yeh Jiunn-rong (葉俊榮) yesterday thanked his coworkers for their help during the past two years, and discussed the ministry’s successes and areas requiring improvement.
Yeh praised the Central Emergency Operation Center for its efforts in reducing casualties and injuries during typhoons, but said that the government must clarify its policies for work and school cancelations during storms.
Additional reporting by CNA
South Korea has adjusted its electronic arrival card system to no longer list Taiwan as a part of China, a move that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said would help facilitate exchanges between the two sides. South Korea previously listed “Taiwan” as “Taiwan (China)” in the drop-down menus of its online arrival card system, where people had to fill out where they came from and their next destination. The ministry had requested South Korea make a revision and said it would change South Korea’s name on Taiwan’s online immigration system from “Republic of Korea” to “Korea (South),” should the issue not be
Tainan, Taipei and New Taipei City recorded the highest fines nationwide for illegal accommodations in the first quarter of this year, with fines issued in the three cities each exceeding NT$7 million (US$220,639), Tourism Administration data showed. Among them, Taipei had the highest number of illegal short-term rental units, with 410. There were 3,280 legally registered hotels nationwide in the first quarter, down by 14 properties, or 0.43 percent, from a year earlier, likely indicating operators exiting the market, the agency said. However, the number of unregistered properties rose to 1,174, including 314 illegal hotels and 860 illegal short-term rental
ECONOMIC COERCION: Such actions are often inconsistently applied, sometimes resumed, and sometimes just halted, the Presidential Office spokeswoman said The government backs healthy and orderly cross-strait exchanges, but such arrangements should not be made with political conditions attached and never be used as leverage for political maneuvering or partisan agendas, Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said yesterday. Kuo made the remarks after China earlier in the day announced 10 new “incentive measures” for Taiwan, following a landmark meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) in Beijing on Friday. The measures, unveiled by China’s Xinhua news agency, include plans to resume individual travel by residents of Shanghai and China’s Fujian
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) met in Beijing yesterday, where they vowed to bring people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait closer to facilitate the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” The meeting was held in the East Hall of the Great Hall of the People, a venue typically reserved for meetings between Xi and foreign heads of state. In public remarks prior to a closed-door meeting, Xi, in his role as head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said that Taiwan is historically part of China, and remains an “inalienable” and
RSS