Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) yesterday vowed to work for prosperity, sustainability and a fair distribution of wealth at the ceremony to install the new Cabinet.
Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) handed over premiership to Liu under the supervision of Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) at the Executive Yuan yesterday.
Liu expressed thanks to Chang for his Cabinet’s efforts to stabilize the nation’s political situation and ensure continuity in policies, and expressed gratitude for the outgoing Cabinet’s cooperation with the incoming government as it prepared to hand over power.
 
                    PHOTO: CNA
Liu, who was vice premier when the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) handed over the reins to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2000, said it was the wish of the public that the government pursue progress regardless of which party is in power.
“We will proceed with [the DPP] government’s good policies, come up with proposals for policies that require adjusting, execute the platform of [President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Siew] and map out forward-looking policies,” Liu said.
In his speech, Chang, who served two terms as premier under the DPP administration, praised the nation for its democratic achievements.
“Since Taiwan held the [first] direct presidential election in 1996, no matter how ferocious election campaigns have been, power has been transferred peacefully. That reflects progress and democracy in Taiwan. It’s a hard-earned achievement,” Chang said. “We have demonstrated to the whole world our progress and democracy through today’s transfer of power. It’s a historic moment.”
Siew commended Chang and his administrative team for their painstaking efforts during the caretaker period between the March 22 presidential election and yesterday’s installment of the new administration.
Chang has set a positive example for statesmen through his deeds, which kept the political situation stable during the caretaker period and enhanced the public’s confidence in the nation’s democracy, Siew said.
After the ceremony, Liu escorted Chang on his way out of the Executive Yuan.
Liu tripped while walking down the stairs in the lobby of the Executive Yuan hall, nearly falling.
“I am fine. My kung fu is very good,” Liu, a martial arts fiction fan and author of more than 10 martial arts novels, joked in response to reporters’ questions.
In related news, Jason Yuan (袁健生) has been tapped by the Ma administration to serve as the nation’s representative to Washington, US sources said yesterday.
Sources said the US government was expected to accept Yuan’s appointment soon.
Yuan served as the nation’s representative to Canada and Panama and as director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Los Angeles under the last KMT administration.
He has served as the KMT’s representative to the US since 2004.
Meanwhile, Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Taiwan’s current representative to the US, has handed in his resignation.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER

The German city of Hamburg on Oct. 14 named a bridge “Kaohsiung-Brucke” after the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. The footbridge, formerly known as F566, is to the east of the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district, and connects the Dar-es-Salaam-Platz to the Brooktorpromenade near the Port of Hamburg on the Elbe River. Timo Fischer, a Free Democratic Party member of the Hamburg-Mitte District Assembly, in May last year proposed the name change with support from members of the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. Kaohsiung and Hamburg in 1999 inked a sister city agreement, but despite more than a quarter-century of

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading

The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) has been investigating nine shell companies working with Prince Holding Group, and the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office is seeking further prosecution of alleged criminals, a source said yesterday. The nine companies and three Taiwanese nationals were named by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Oct. 14 as Specially Designated Nationals as a result of a US federal court indictment. Prince Holding founder Chen Zhi (陳志) has been charged with fraud, conspiracy, money laundering and overseeing Prince Holding’s suspected forced-labor camps in Cambodia, the indictment says. Intelligence shared between Taiwan,

COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,