Hsieh fills economics vacancy

Senior presidential consultant Hou Ho-shong (侯和雄) will succeed Yin Chi-ming (尹啟銘) as a vice minister of economic affairs, with Yin becoming a senior Cabinet consultant, Cabinet Spokesman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) announced yesterday.

The personnel reshuffle was prompted after Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) asked Yin to step down to take responsibility for a prolonged halt in water service to parts of Taoyuan earlier this month.

Cho also announced that Hsu Hsiang-kun (徐享崑) will succeed Lee Wen-liang (李文良) as chairman of the Taiwan Water Corp (TWC). Hsu is a former director of the Water Resources Bureau and a current staff member of the legislature's Sci-tech and Information Committee.

"As you all know, the premier has been looking for a water resources expert to fill the vacancy for vice minister. Hou definitely fits the premier's needs," Cho said.

Cho made the announcement on behalf of the premier during a press conference in the Executive Yuan's lobby yesterday afternoon.

According to Cho, Hsieh made his final decision sometime on Monday night. He decided to invite Hou to join the Cabinet because Hou is both a water resources expert and a certified engineer.

Hou has worked with the premier before, serving as Kaohsiung's deputy mayor when Hsieh was mayor.

"As for Yin, the premier decided to temporarily transfer him to a senior consultant position and will definitely review his situation again when more vacancies become available," Cho said.

"Hou will succeed Yin immediately," he said, adding that the changes to Hsu and Lee's positions would be carried out next month.

Prior to yesterday's announcement, former Water Resources Agency director-general Hwang Jing-san (黃金山) and Hsu were thought to be the hottest candidates to succeed Yin.

Hwang, however, was not too interested in returning to the Cabinet during interviews with Hsieh, according to one of the premier's staff members.

Hsu, meanwhile, was panned by Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh (何美玥). Ho said she did not support Hsu because of his political bias and the fact that he used to be a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member.

also see story:

Hou Ho-shong is new vice economic affairs minister