President Chen Shui-bian (
This was the first time the president has mentioned reshuffling the Cabinet since the DPP's punishing defeat in the Dec. 3 elections.
"Clean governance is the minimum demand for any government, as well as the highest expectation of the Taiwanese people, and it has to be realized by means of a Cabinet reshuffle in the future," the president said.
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
He did not say when the changes to the Cabinet line-up would be made.
Chen made the remarks while attending a screening of a documentary about the victims of the White Terror era and their families, who were targeted in the suppression of political dissent in the 1950s.
The president confirmed speculation that the DPP government plans to reshuffle the Cabinet after being trounced by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in the elections.
"It is the adherence to clean governance, with the support of the people, which has kept the DPP alive and thriving over the past 19 years," Chen said.
A series of corruption scandals involving DPP officials that came to light in the run-up to the elections raised questions about the party's integrity and reform policies, negatively influencing its election results.
Aside from reaffirming the DPP's commitment to clean governance, the president said his administration will keep pursuing the goals of promoting Taiwan consciousness and democratic reform.
"Enhancing Taiwan consciousness and normalizing cross-strait relations are two endeavors that can complement each other. Only if Taiwan keeps growing in strength will it have the necessary bargaining chips to negotiate with the other side and break the deadlock in the Strait," Chen said.
Chen said that the shooting of protesters during a Dec. 6 riot in China's Guangdong Province reflected the brutal nature of the Beijing government, which focuses on improving China's economic performance while ignoring its abominable human rights record.
The president said that he plans to make Taiwan a paragon of democracy to set an example for China.
"We have to help China to transform itself into a democratic and peace-loving regime so that it won't become a threat to its neighboring countries and ensure permanent peace and stability across the Strait," Chen said.
"Taiwan's democratic performance has great significance to the 23 million Taiwanese people," and he hopes to create a "lighthouse effect" for the 1.3 billion people in China, Chen said.
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