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Hsieh names former aide to be new GIO director

Yao Wen-chih was named yesterday to be the new Minister of the Government Information Office by Premier Frank Hsieh. PHOTO: CHANG CHUNG-YI, TAIPEI TIMES

TTV Culture Co's general manager Pasuya Yao (姚文智) has been tapped by Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) to replace outgoing Government Information Office (GIO) Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍).

Hsieh yesterday approved the resignation tendered by Lin last Tuesday. Lin is stepping down in order to prepare to run in the year-end Taichung mayoral race as a Democratic Progressive Party candidate.

Lin's resignation and Yao's appointment take effect on Monday.

Yao has been a close aide to Hsieh since the premier's early days in the politics. He was an office assistant to Hsieh when he was a legislator. After Hsieh won in the Kaohsiung mayoral election five years ago, Yao subsequently served as director of the city's Department of Information and as Kaohsiung City Government's deputy secretary-general.

During Yao's term as the director of the Department of Information, his promotion of the city's cultural developments, including the City Light Corridor, helped boost Hsieh's approval rating as mayor. The corridor is a space designed for leisure activities and artistic performances along the Ai River, featuring artistic lighting and Western-style cafes.

At TTV Culture Co, Yao has been assisting in the planning of an Aboriginal TV station.

The 40-year-old Yao has a masters degree in political science from National Chengchi University. He said producing good movies and TV drama series will be one of his priorities after assuming the top GIO post.

Yao is not the first staffer from southern Taiwan to follow his old boss into the central government. Others include the manager of the premier's office, Albert Lin (林耀文), who was formerly Director-general of Kaohsiung's Department of Information; Central Personnel Administration Director-general Chang Chun-yen (張俊彥), who was secretary-general of the city government and former deputy mayor Lin Yung-chien (林永堅), who now serves as vice minister of the interior.
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