Premier William Lai (賴清德) yesterday unveiled a list of seven officials who are to take up new posts in the Cabinet in its latest reshuffle.
The reshuffle is not a denial of outgoing Cabinet members, but was planned to meet the government’s needs to implement policies and projects initiated over the past two years, Lai told a morning news conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei.
Seven agencies are involved in the reshuffle.
Photo: CNA
Minister of the Interior Yeh Jiunn-rong (葉俊榮) is to become minister of education, filling the post vacated by Wu Maw-kuen (吳茂昆), who resigned in late May in an ongoing political storm surrounding the Ministry of Education’s rejection of Kuan Chung-ming’s (管中閔) election as National Taiwan University president.
Yeh has said that he wants to return to education, which he is passionate about, Lai said.
However, as he and President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) value Yeh’s accomplishments as an academic in law and as a tenured government official, they asked Yeh to be education minister, a role in which he could help more students than if he were to go back to teaching, Lai said, adding that he was glad that Yeh agreed to the request.
Yeh is not only a renowned academic, but he is also patient and capable of generating innovative ideas, the premier said, adding that he believed that with these qualities, Yeh could meet the challenges facing all levels of education and foster a new generation of talent.
Meanwhile, Executive Yuan spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) is to take over as minister of the interior, Lai said.
Hsu has a doctorate in law and is familiar with the government’s policies, having served as Executive Yuan spokesman for two years, which makes him an ideal candidate for the post, he said.
Hsu used to be a reporter and a lawmaker, and is articulate and perceptive of public opinion, which are desirable qualities when streamlining interdepartmental efforts and communication between the government and civil groups, the premier said.
Hsu’s priority would be cracking down on the sale and circulation of illegal drugs, followed by fighting crime and improving social security, Lai said.
Deputy Minister of Finance Su Jain-rong (蘇建榮) is to replace outgoing Minister of Finance Sheu Yu-jer (許虞哲), who has expressed his desire to “pass the baton” after helping complete sweeping tax reform, Lai said.
Su served as Taipei Department of Finance commissioner before being appointed deputy finance minister, which has equipped him with the abilities necessary to oversee the operations of the treasury, customs, taxation system and national property, Lai said.
Investigation Bureau Director-General Tsai Ching-hsiang (蔡清祥) is to take the helm at the Ministry of Justice, replacing outgoing Minister of Justice Chiu Tai-san (邱太三).
Tsai Ching-hsiang’s work as Investigation Bureau head was highlighted by the major drug busts he led, which effectively addressed the problem of substance abuse, Lai said.
His appointment demonstrates the government’s resolve to fight narcotics and meet public expectations of a safe society, he added.
Taiwan International Ports Corp chairman Wu Hong-mo (吳宏謀) is to take over the position of minister of transportation and communications and is to help the nation adopt “greener” commuting habits and carry out the various rail construction and transportation projects under the Cabinet’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program on the foundation laid by outgoing Minister of Transportation Hochen Tan (賀陳旦), Lai said.
The decision to replace Hochen was not surprising to many, as he had been the target of criticism for his handling of several events.
Those include the Dragon Boat Festival holiday in 2016, when Hochen chose not to waive freeway tolls between 12am and 5am, which was widely perceived a drastic break from the ministry’s past policy of offering waivers to ease holiday traffic.
Former Council for Cultural Affairs minister Chen Chi-nan (陳其南) is to replace National Palace Museum Director Lin Jeng-yi (林正儀), who resigned over personal issues, Lai said.
Chen is to focus on planning development projects for the National Palace Museum’s Southern Branch and boosting its international profile, Lai said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Kolas Yotaka is to replace Hsu as Executive Yuan spokeswoman.
Like Hsu, Kolas was a reporter, as well as a news anchor, and she would be able to precisely communicate government policies to reporters, Lai said.
Her experience in public service as a former Taoyuan Department of Indigenous Affairs commissioner and later as a legislator has provided her with a good understanding of the government’s work, he said.
The new Cabinet members are to take office on Monday, Lai said.
Asked by reporters how the Executive Yuan plans to address the NTU presidential election — which has been in a limbo since January — now that Yeh is to become education minister, Lai said that the developments surrounding the issue run counter to social expectations, but the Executive Yuan’s stance on the issue has always been that it respects the education minister’s right to exercise their authority.
Additional reporting by Shelley Shan
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
UNWAVERING: Paraguay remains steadfast in its support of Taiwan, but is facing growing pressure at home and abroad to switch recognition to Beijing, Pena said Paraguayan President Santiago Pena has pledged to continue enhancing cooperation with Taiwan, as he and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait using force, Japanese media reported on Saturday. Kishida yesterday completed a trip to France, Brazil and Paraguay, his first visit to South America since taking office in 2021. After the Japanese leader and Pena spoke for more than an hour on Friday, exchanging views on the situation in East Asia in the face of China’s increasing military pressure on Taiwan, they affirmed that “unilateral attempts to change the