Premier-designate Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Tuesday announced the third wave of Cabinet appointments, including the new heads of the economic and digital ministries.
The next Cabinet is to take office on May 20 after president-elect William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration.
Cho on Tuesday announced six new appointments to head the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Digital Affairs, National Development Council (NDC), National Science and Technology Council, Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) and Public Construction Commission.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) is to be the new minister of economic affairs. Currently chairman of semiconductor product distributor Topco Group (崇越集團), Kuo is considered one of Taiwan’s top 100 CEOs with a net worth of more than NT$10 billion (US$307.2 million). He also has experience in the biotechnology, photovoltaic, green energy and health fields, with expertise in corporate management and industrial supply chains.
Huang Yen-nun (黃彥男), a distinguished research fellow with Academia Sinica's Research Center for Information Technology Innovation, is to replace Audrey Tang (唐鳳) as minister of digital affairs.
He conducts cross-disciplinary research in ICT, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things, with the appointment expected to facilitate the integration of AI into more fields.
To head the National Science and Technology Council is Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology president Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文).
Paul Liu (劉鏡清), former chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Consulting Services Taiwan Ltd known as one of the few business leaders to have practical as well as consulting experience, is to head the NDC.
Peng Jin-lung (彭金隆), associate dean of National Chengchi University's College of Commerce, has been appointed the new chairperson of the FSC, while former CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) chairman Chen Chin-te (陳金德) is to head the Public Construction Commission.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail