Premier-designate Lin Chuan (林全) yesterday introduced eight future Cabinet members, including the vice premier, the Cabinet spokesman, four ministers without portfolio and the future minister of health and welfare, to the media.
Speaking at a news conference yesterday afternoon, Lin introduced the first eight members of his future Cabinet, including future vice premier Lin Hsi-yao (林錫耀), future minister of health and welfare Lin Tzou-yien (林奏延), ministers without portfolio Lin Mei-chu (林美珠), Chang Ching-sen (張景森), Shih Jun-ji (施俊吉) and Hsu Chang-yao (許璋瑤), and future Cabinet spokesman Tung Chen-yuan (童振源) — who did not appear at the press conference as he is currently in the US as a visiting professor.
Lin Chuan said that all of the confirmed Cabinet members have served in government positions at different levels, and that he had worked well with all of them previously.
Photo: CNA
“I worked closely with Lin Hsi-yao during the presidential election, and we had good discussions on various issues,” Lin Chuan said. “I first met him when he was Taipei County’s [now New Taipei City] deputy commissioner, and I was the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics minister. I had a very good impression of him, since he could appear soft when trying to convince people, but remains firm over his views.”
Having served not only as deputy county commissioner, but also several positions in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), as well as in the Cabinet during the previous DPP administration, Lin Chuan said that Lin Hsi-yao is good at negotiating, and could be very helpful in facilitating communications in the Cabinet and with the legislature.
As for Chang, Lin Chuan said that, as a former head of the Council for Economic Planning and Development — now renamed the National Development Council — he would play a key role in planning for national development, transportation, energy and social housing.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Asked whether his appointment of Lin Mei-chu as a minister without portfolio would entail a conflict of interest, since Lin Mei-chu is Tsai’s cousin, Lin Chuan said that Lin Mei-chu would be serving in the Executive Yuan, not the Presidential Office.
“Professionalism, ability and experience are the only conditions I would consider,” the premier-designate said.
Lin Chuan also said that the decisions on future Cabinet members are not made by any one person.
“We have a team — I am not going to name everyone on the team, but Tsai and I are both on it — to make proposals and discuss possible candidates,” Lin Chuan said.
“Tsai and I often have different ideas, but I have the final say on it,” the premier-designate added.
Meanwhile, Lin Tzou-yien said that he had not attended a WHA meeting before, but that he would ask Minister of Health and Welfare Chiang Been-huang (蔣丙煌) for advice, and that because he considers himself familiar with the work, he expects the trip to go smoothly.
In response to whether Taiwan would have to attend the meeting under the “one China” principle, Lin Tzou-yien said he has not received the invitation yet, and because he would ask for Chiang’s advice in advance, he does not want to make any remarks on the issue yet.
Additional Reporting by Lee I-chia
CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台灣國際造船) yesterday released the first video documenting the submerged sea trials of Taiwan’s indigenous defense submarine prototype, the Hai Kun (海鯤), or Narwhal, showing underwater navigation and the launch of countermeasures. The footage shows the vessel’s first dive, steering and control system tests, and the raising and lowering of the periscope and antenna masts. It offered a rare look at the progress in the submarine’s sea acceptance tests. The Hai Kun carried out its first shallow-water diving trial late last month and has since completed four submerged tests, CSBC said. The newly released video compiles images recorded from Jan. 29 to
DETERRENCE EFFORTS: Washington and partners hope demonstrations of force would convince Beijing that military action against Taiwan would carry high costs The US is considering using HMAS Stirling in Western Australia as a forward base to strengthen its naval posture in a potential conflict with China, particularly over Taiwan, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. As part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, Washington plans to deploy up to four nuclear-powered submarines at Stirling starting in 2027, providing a base near potential hot spots such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. The move also aims to enhance military integration with Pacific allies under the Australia-UK-US trilateral security partnership, the report said. Currently, US submarines operate from Guam, but the island could
RESTRAINTS: Should China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, China would be excluded from major financial institutions, the bill says The US House of Representatives on Monday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which states that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude Beijing from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China must be prepared
Taiwanese trade negotiators told Washington that Taipei would not relocate 40 percent of its semiconductor production to the US, and that its most advanced technologies would remain in the nation, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said on Sunday. “I told the US side very clearly — that’s impossible,” Cheng, who led the negotiation team, said in an interview that aired on Sunday night on Chinese Television System. Cheng was referring to remarks last month by US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, in which he said his goal was to bring 40 percent of Taiwan’s chip supply chain to the US Taiwan’s almost
RSS