■ Diplomacy
Lee awaiting word from US
The US will approve the appointment of Taiwan's top representative to Brussels David Lee (李大維) to head the representative office in Washington as soon as next week, well-placed sources in the US capitol said. Lee, who is currently in Taipei and presented a report on Taiwan-EU relations to the legislature yesterday, was tight-lipped about a new appointment. He has previously said he might be replacing Chen Chien-jen (程建人) in Washington in July if the US accepts him. In his legislative report, Lee invited Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislators Lin Chung-mo (林重謨) and Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) to visit Washington after he officially takes up the job. Legislators encouraged Lee to be more than the Presidential Office's "fax machine" and to skillfully sell the government's ideas to the US.
■ Cabinet
Lai considers health post
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lai Ching-te (賴清德) confirmed yesterday that Department of Health Director-General Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) had invited him to replace Lee Long-teng (李龍騰), the department's outgoing deputy director-general. However, Lai said yesterday after meeting Chen that although the opportunity was hard to turn down, he already had plans to run for re-election in December's elections. Lai has asked for a couple of days to make a decision. Lai, a graduate of the National Taiwan University College of Medicine, holds a master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health and is a member of the Sanitation, Environment and Social Welfare committee in the legislature.
■ Politics
Shih no legislator-at-large
Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) yesterday denied he would accept an arrangement to be a legislator-at-large for the People First Party (PFP), saying the PFP has misused his title for self-promotion. PFP Legislator Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) yesterday pointed out that Shih, who is a visiting scholar at George Mason University in the US, would not rule out the possibility of taking up the position of PFP legislator-at-large, along with former DPP chairman Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜). The PFP, which supports the Cabinet system, said Shih has previously met with Soong to discuss cooperation to promote the system in the future. However, an aide of Shih's who wished not to be named, yesterday flatly rejected the speculation, quoting Shih as saying that "he would never accept the arrangement." The aide said Shih was supportive of the Cabinet system and would return to Taiwan next month to work with President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) constitutional project to promote the adoption of the system. But Shih would never consider accepting any offer from the PFP.
■ Diplomacy
Chinese negotiator invited
Taiwan issued an invitation yesterday to China's top negotiator Wang Daohan (汪道涵) to visit the island, in an effort to restart stalled talks between the two countries. "We welcome Wang Daohan to visit Taiwan and meet with Koo Chen-fu (辜振甫) (Taiwan's top negotiator). There will be no restriction regarding whom Wang wants to see, what topics he wants to discuss and where he wants to go," said Wu Chao-hsieh (吳釗燮), chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).
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