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New Cabinet post is same old wine in new bottles

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun (江丙坤) has become a central figure in the ongoing conflict between the KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), thanks to an open invitation from new Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) to become his second in command.

Although Chiang was highlighted as a candidate because of his financial expertise, his chances of joining the Cabinet are dependent on the will of the KMT and the sincerity of the DPP, experts and officials said yesterday.

While Chiang has been constantly courted by Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) as his choice for vice premier, the KMT just increased the stakes on Wednesday, after demanding that the two parties reach a consensus on several issues. These include Taiwan's sovereign status, direct links with China, construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, changing the nation's name, the proposed party assets bill and the investigation into the assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).

Although Hsieh and KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) are set to meet on Feb. 17 to discuss Chiang's possible entry into the cabinet, experts said yesterday that the chances of reaching a compromise are slim, given the disparity between the KMT's and the DPP's political ideologies.

Chiang, who has a background in economic policymaking dating from his days as the chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development and the director of the nation's Board of Foreign Trade, has been touted by both the KMT and DPP as a talented bureaucrat who can "turn Taiwan's economy around."

While the KMT originally proposed that Chen nominate Chiang to be premier to form a "finance cabinet," the DPP also said it hopes to use Chiang's economic expertise if he becomes vice premier.

In a recent survey of Taiwan's business community conducted by the Council for Industrial and Commercial Development (工商建設研究會), 225 respondents listed Chiang as their first pick for premier on the strength of his experience in formulating economic policy, and listed Hsieh as their fourth pick, after second-place pick PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and third-place choice KMT Vice Chairman Vincent Siew (蕭萬長).

The survey reflects the people's hope for economic reform, said KMT Legislator Chu Feng-chih (朱鳳芝). Chu was responsible for requesting the survey from the council.

For Chiang to be an effective instigator of economic reform, Chu said, it is crucial that the DPP and the KMT first make clear what exactly Chiang's powers in office will be, and what role he will play in the Cabinet.

In a telephone interview with the Taipei Times, Chou Yu-jen (周育仁), a professor of political science at National Taipei University and a senior fellow with the National Policy Foundation, echoed Chu's remarks, saying that the vice premier position, like that of vice president, has no obvious function or clearly defined responsibilities.

"Chiang entering the cabinet is a symbolic thing [for the DPP]," Chou said yesterday.

"To be honest, the Cabinet is an agency whose purpose is defined by its head, the premier. No matter what, the premier has the last say on each issue, and often even official documents are sent directly to the premier from subordinate ministries without having gone to the vice premier. If Chiang enters the cabinet, he would still be just one voice, and have just one vote against the others," Chou said yesterday.

In examples from Europe in which a coalition government is formed, parties typically enter formal negotiations to set the rules of the game, Chou said.

"Each party has its own political position, and in a coalition government, both must make compromises. It must be clear which issues both parties have agreed not to touch and which they will cooperate on. It is very formal, and all involved parties sign a memorandum," Chou said.

However, once the two parties' policy platforms and their voter bases are factored into the equation, it is unlikely that the two parties will cooperate, Chou added.

"The DPP and the KMT still need to consider their voters. There are still two major elections left this year: the National Assembly elections, and the elections for county commissioners at the end of the year. It might be for this reason that the KMT has purposely set its conditions for Chiang's entry into the legislature so high, so that the DPP will back down," Chou said.

Chiang understands what's at stake as well, which is why he has continually insisted this past week that without his party's endorsement, he will not become Hsieh's right-hand man, Chou added.

"I personally feel that Chiang wants to be vice premier. But if his party doesn't back him, then he won't really be able to exercise his financial expertise in office," Chou said.

However, DPP legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) scoffed at the KMT's preconditions.

"If we actually agreed to the conditions, we might as well become the KMT," said Ker via telephone yesterday.

"As the new premier, Hsieh of course has to try to cooperate with all the parties. But if they do not want to accept our good intentions, then we can do nothing about it. They proposed conditions that they know are too severe for us to accept. It is their sincerity that is lacking, not ours," Ker said.
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