The man in line to become the nation's next premier was busy receiving possible new Cabinet members yesterday at his official residence in downtown Taipei.
Yu Shyi-kun, currently the secretary-general to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), may announce the new Cabinet lineup this afternoon.
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES
According to sources at the Presidential Office, the new Cabinet members could be sworn in on Wednesday.
Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Seen entering Yu's residence yesterday were Chiou I-jen (邱義仁), Cabinet secretary-general; Su Tzen-ping (蘇正平), head of the Government Information Office; Chen Che-nan (陳哲男), deputy secretary-general to the president; and Chang Fu-mei (張富美), chairwoman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission.
According to sources, President Chen has already decided who will head the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mainland Affairs Council. The president will let the new premier appoint the other members of the new "combative Cabinet," they said.
Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is expected to retain her post as chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council. Chief of the General Staff Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) is expected to be promoted to defense minister.
Eugene Chien (
Sources say Vice Premier Lai In-jaw (賴英照) is likely to step down from his post. The vacancy may be filled by a non-DPP member with a strong financial background.
Lai, who served on the Council of Grand Justices before taking up his current position, might return to his previous job.
Chiou also may step down and be appointed as a minister without portfolio.
Other Cabinet officials who might step down include Chang Po-ya (
Those likely to hang onto their jobs include Chen Ding-nan (
Yen and Tang are two of the five KMT members who hold positions in the current Cabinet.
Premier Chang remained low key yesterday over the impending Cabinet reshuffle. "I totally respect the decision made by President Chen," Chang said yesterday on an environmental inspection trip conducted in his hometown of Kaohsiung.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued a sea alert for Typhoon Fung-wong (鳳凰) as it threatened vessels operating in waters off the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島), the Bashi Channel and south of the Taiwan Strait. A land alert is expected to be announced some time between late last night and early this morning, the CWA said. As of press time last night, Taoyuan, as well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties had declared today a typhoon day, canceling work and classes. Except for a few select districts in Taipei and New Taipei City, all other areas and city
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