President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has tapped Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Vice Chairman Rock Hsu (許勝雄) to be acting foundation chairman, Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said yesterday.
The appointment covers a vacancy left by the reappointment of former foundation chairman David Lee (李大維) to be Presidential Office secretary-general, Chang said.
Hsu’s role as vice chairman shows his familiarity with cross-strait affairs, while his experience as chairman of the Third Wednesday Club and honorary chairman of the Chinese National Federation of Industries highlights his business acumen, Chang said.
Photo: CNA
Jan Jyh-horng (詹志宏) is to take over from Hsu as SEF vice chairman, Chang added.
When asked to confirm reports that Tsai was considering appointing former legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), as SEF chairman, Chang said only that the president would make public her choice as soon as it is confirmed.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Hsu’s appointment had been approved on Aug. 6 and that Hsu would serve in the role for three months.
Hsu yesterday confirmed he has accepted the appointment.
Regarding how he intended to expand opportunities for Taiwanese businesspeople across the Taiwan Strait, Hsu said he would outline his plans after his acting chairmanship has been ratified.
Hsu faces the difficult task of assisting Taiwanese businesspeople across the Strait in finding new commercial opportunities during his stand-in, a person familiar with the matter said.
Hsu, 76, who has run New Kinpo Group (新金寶集團) for more than 47 years and is the chairman of 30 different companies, often acts as a bridge between the corporate sector and the government.
In January, shortly after Tsai was re-elected in a landslide victory, Hsu called on the government to maintain stable and peaceful relations with China, as it remains an important export destination for Taiwan.
He also said that both sides must achieve consensus to arrive at a long-term solution and should endeavor to work toward a mutually beneficial working relationship.
Hsu is to host the foundation’s board meeting on Friday next week, when the foundation would confirm Jan’s appointment, MAC spokesman Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said.
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency as well as long-term residency in Taiwan has decreased, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday, adding that the reduction of Chinese spouses staying or living in Taiwan is only one facet reflecting the general decrease in the number of people willing to get married in Taiwan. The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency last year was 7,123, down by 2,931, or 29.15 percent, from the previous year. The same census showed that the number of Chinese spouses applying for long-term residency and receiving approval last year stood at 2,973, down 1,520,
EASING ANXIETY: The new guide includes a section encouraging people to discuss the threat of war with their children and teach them how to recognize disinformation The Ministry of National Defense’s All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency yesterday released its updated civil defense handbook, which defines the types of potential military aggression by an “enemy state” and self-protection tips in such scenarios. The agency has released three editions of the handbook since 2022, covering information from the preparation of go-bags to survival tips during natural disasters and war. Compared with the previous edition, released in 2023, the latest version has a clearer focus on wartime scenarios. It includes a section outlining six types of potential military threats Taiwan could face, including destruction of critical infrastructure and most undersea cables, resulting in
RSS