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Newsmaker: Chang's long journey in politics

President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) long-time mentor and loyal follower Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) has played the role of "firefighter" whenever the Chen administration faced political crises. There is nothing different with his new appointment as premier.

With the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) presidential primary just completed, the urgency of mending the fractures caused by keen competition and to ready the troops to win next year's presidential election will be a critical task for the party.

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who lost to his rival Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), resigned from his post on Saturday.

Su's move allowed Chang, the legislative and cross-strait affairs veteran, to return to the political stage.

Chang, 69, is one of the most respected DPP members because of his extensive political experience and seniority. He was one of the founders of the DPP in 1986 and had served as legislator for 15 years, starting in 1983. Whenever a candidate was needed for a significant official position -- such as Kaohsiung City mayor, Examination Yuan chief, DPP chairman or legislative speaker -- Chang's name always emerged.

Both members of the defunct Welfare State Alliance (福利國連線), Chang and Chen have developed a deep friendship over two decades. Having served as the general campaign manager for Chen in 2000 and secretary-general of the Presidential Office after Chen was elected, Chang has unwaveringly been Chen's mentor and helpful friend.

But Chen also encountered one of the most violent storms of his political career at a time when Chang headed the Cabinet. After his predecessor, Tang Fei (唐飛), who was premier during Chen's first presidential term, stepped down because of the Pachang Creek (八掌溪) incident, Chang was appointed premier in October 2000 and became the first premier to come from the DPP camp.

At that time, the DPP still had a minority of seats in the legislature. But under Chen's guidance, Chang's Cabinet abruptly announced a freeze in the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, a move that caused great consternation within the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which had just lost power. The KMT threatened to recall Chen and the Council of Grand Justices ruled that it was unconstitutional for the Cabinet to scrap the nuclear plant project.

Stopping the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant had been one of Chen's campaign promises in the 2000 presidential election, but it became a factor in Chang's resignation from the premiership and constituted the first shot in the political confrontation between the governing and opposition parties. Before heading the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), Chang served as DPP secretary-general and legislator-at-large.

Chang will be the sixth person to become premier in the past seven years and will likely be the last premier in Chen's tenure.

Although SEF Secretary-General You Ying-lung (游盈隆) yesterday said he believed that thanks to his experiences at the SEF Chang would bring a new vision for cross-strait relations, political commentators did not expect much change in cross-strait relations.

"Chang's appointment shows that Chen still dominates cross-strait policies," political analyst Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) said, adding that on some occasions Chang has been considered an executor of Chen's dictates.

The shake-up showed Chen's intention to retain control over the remainder of his term and the campaign strategy of next year's presidential election, said Shih Cheng-feng (施正鋒), a professor of public administration at Tamkang University.

"I think Chang's appointment is a compromise, since I heard that Hsieh actually wanted some other person to be the premier," Shih said.

Shih was also pessimistic about any new progress being made on cross-strait policies.

"China will wait and see how things go before Taiwan's new president is elected in 2008," he said.

Described as "good old man" by many people, Chang has a unique style. The dramatic cadence in his voice and feisty gestures when making speeches have made him the object of many a political mimic. Old singer Kao Ling-feng (高凌風), who is famous for his Chang impression, said Chang's return on the political scene had revived his career.
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