The latest reshuffle of top officials in charge of US and China affairs was another example of “inbreeding” in the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), the opposition said yesterday, adding that the inexperienced officials’ ability to handle external relations was questionable.
National Security Council adviser Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) and former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) secretary-general King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) were tapped for the jobs because of their close relationship with Ma, not for their experience and expertise, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) said.
In a partial Cabinet reshuffle announced on Wednesday, Wang will take over as Mainland Affairs Council minister, while King will become Taiwan’s -representative to the US.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
“It was definitely surprising,” DPP Policy Research Committee executive director Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) — who held both positions under the former DPP administration — said in response to a media inquiry about the reshuffle.
Wu served as council chairman between 2004 and 2007 and representative to the US between 2007 and 2008.
He said inexperience would be the primary concern for the two in handling Taiwan’s most important external relations.
King is not a professional diplomat, the criteria Ma had set for diplomatic appointments when he was inaugurated in 2008, Wu said, adding that King also lacked the coordination and communication skills that would be crucial in dealing with US government agencies, the US Congress and the overseas Taiwanese community.
Incoming minister of foreign affairs David Lin (林永樂), who replaced Timothy Yang (楊進添), will likely be sandwiched between King and new National Security Council secretary-general Jason Yuan (袁健生), both known for their aggressiveness, Wu said.
The appointment of Wang, along with Lin Join-sane (林中森) as Straits Exchange Foundation chairman, means that Taiwan will face complicated cross-strait affairs and negotiations with a pair of officials who have no previous experience on China, he said.
“They are not familiar with Chinese affairs or the Chinese officials they have to deal with. And vice versa ... It is a huge risk,” Wu said.
Naming his confidants to the positions signaled Ma’s intention to gain “complete control” over cross-strait affairs and foreign relations, DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said.
“Most of all, it could be the prelude to Ma’s pursuit of a peace agreement with China as part of his presidential legacy, which would be a dangerous move that could jeopardize Taiwan’s sovereignty,” Ker said.
The DPP has launched a campaign calling for a complete reshuffle of the Cabinet to “save Taiwan’s economy,” ahead of tomorrow’s vote of no confidence against the Cabinet in the legislature.
TSU caucus whip Huang Wen-ling (黃文玲) said the appointments once again shows that Ma makes personnel decisions “inside his inner circle” of trusted aides who share his ideology.
The TSU said that Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-hsiang (施顏祥), Council for Economic Planning and Development Minister Yiin Chii-ming (尹啟銘) and Council of Labor Affairs Minister Jennifer Wang (王如玄) should be replaced for their poor performance.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
The New Taipei City Social Welfare Department on Thursday celebrated Paralympic competitor Chen Tzu-wei (張孜維), who received last year’s national Golden Eagle award for exemplary achievement by Taiwanese with disabilities. Chen, who suffers from childhood-onset muscular dystrophy, did not attend the first award ceremony held by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in November due to illness. Chen was formally presented with the award at the department, where he gave thanks to government workers for supporting his education and livelihood, the department said in a statement. Chen was raised by the Ai-hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities in the city’s Bali District (八里)
RSS