Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) yesterday said the Cabinet, under his leadership, was resigning en masse, even though President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said earlier in the day that he would not accept the resignation at this time.
Mao, who was appointed premier in late 2014, following the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) crushing defeat in local government elections, walked out of a special Cabinet meeting yesterday without taking questions.
Mao’s resignation came after the KMT lost both the presidential and legislative elections on Saturday, a matter of course in Taiwan when a ruling party loses a major election.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Vice Premier Simon Chang (張善政) said that Mao is to take some time off, and Chang is to lead the Cabinet and other ministers until Ma decides whether to accept the Cabinet’s resignation.
Before Mao convened the special meeting, Ma went to Mao’s residence but did not find him there. Ma left after asking Mao’s wife to convey a message asking Mao to stay on.
The KMT offered to allow the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to form a Cabinet before its chairperson, president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), is sworn in on May 20, but the proposal appears to have been shot down.
In a post-election news conference late on Saturday, Tsai said that she would leave the issue of letting the party that holds the legislative majority form a Cabinet to constitutional procedure.
Taiwan’s Constitution does not allow for a Cabinet and a head of state from different parties.
Ma, whose second presidential term ends on May 20, yesterday said he is asking Tsai to reconsider her decision.
Meeting former deputy US secretary of state William Burns, Ma said it is necessary for the DPP to form a new Cabinet soon.
Meanwhile, Presidential Office spokesman Charles Chen (陳以信) yesterday said that Ma directed Presidential Office Secretary-General Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權) to form a task force to prepare for the political transition.
The task force is to assign the transfer to a transition team designated by Tsai in accordance with related laws and regulations and based on the two previous power transitions in Taiwan, Chen said.
Tseng convened a meeting yesterday morning to begin preparations for the third transfer of power in Taiwan’s democratic history, Chen added.
The task force was formed to coordinate with the incoming administration to ensure a smooth transition of power in the four-month period between the election and the inauguration of the new president on May 20.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old