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Chen welcomes new brass to the Presidential Office

New presidential aide-de-camp Major General Shen Po-chih. PHOTO: WANG MIN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday received his newly-appointed chief aide-de-camp Major General Shen Po-chih (申伯之) and deputy chief General Ho Yung-chien (何雍堅), who are scheduled on Friday to replace former chief Chen Tsai-fu (陳再福) and deputy chief Shen Chai-tien (沈在添), both removed in the wake of the election-eve assassination attempt.

Shen, the assistant deputy chief of the general staff in operations, is a senior naval officer, while Ho is the commander of the 202nd Military Police Command.

According to military tradition, presidential-level posts must be rotated among generals of the navy, army and air force. Shen represents the navy's latest appointment to the post.

Chen Shui-bian yesterday morning summoned Shen and Ho to the Presidential Office to offer them his best wishes.

As part of the process of familiarizing themselves with security procedures, Shen and Ho then accompanied the president during a weekly meeting of the Democratic Progressive Party's Central Standing Committee yesterday afternoon.

In response to severe criticism from opposition parties and the public over lax security during the shooting of Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) in Tainan on March 19, national security agencies have penalized a number of other officials, including the now removed former National Security Bureau (NSB) director-general, Tsai Tsao-ming (蔡朝明).

"The shooting was a close encounter with death," Chen Chai-fu said last week when asked by reporters about any regrets he may have had over his handling of the assassination attempt.

"I am not afraid of being prosecuted in a military court," he said, "and even if the court rules that I should be executed, it would not fully alleviate my regret at allowing the president to be hurt."

Shen is held in high regard by Chief of the General Staff Admiral Lee Jye (李傑).

Last year, after the navy failed twice to successfully fire torpedoes, Shen was the official who offered an explanation to the public. Lee strongly recommended Shen take up the Presidential Office post.

In earlier years, when Lee was assigned to travel to the US to receive a submarine delivery, Shen was an official in his party.

Some high-ranking military officials feel that Shen's careful manner and knowledge of submarines will make him a key consultant during future submarine purchases from the US.
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