Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Xavier Chang (張惇涵) would be appointed secretary-general of the Executive Yuan, replacing Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫), who is to become minister of economic affairs, people familiar with the matter said yesterday.
A broader Cabinet reshuffle is expected to follow today’s second recall vote.
Kung, a financial expert and former head of the National Development Council, is to succeed Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝).
Photo: Taipei Times
The Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday confirmed that Kuo had tendered his resignation on Thursday, citing health reasons.
Kuo had faced calls to resign from the Democratic Progressive Party and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the sources said.
With negotiations ongoing over US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, the new Cabinet lineup is expected to place greater emphasis on fiscal and economic policy, they added.
Among the three top Cabinet positions, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) are to remain in office, while Kung is to return as minister.
Although Chang previously served as the Presidential Office spokesperson, he is not expected to assume the Executive Yuan spokesperson role, which would remain with Michelle Lee (李慧芝), the sources said.
The Ministry of Digital Affairs yesterday also confirmed that Minister of Digital Affairs Huang Yen-nun (黃彥男) would return to Academia Sinica when his secondment expires on Aug. 31.
The ministry said Huang has submitted his resignation to the premier, citing personal and career considerations, and would resume his research at the institute.
Huang assumed office on May 20 last year with the inauguration of the new administration.
Meanwhile, another source dismissed media reports that Representative to the US Alexander Yui is to be reassigned, saying no changes are planned for Taiwan’s diplomatic corps.
Local media yesterday cited anonymous sources as saying that Yui is to be replaced by National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉), while Yui is to be appointed representative to Spain.
The reports said Washington had accepted the personnel change, and that Hsu would in turn be succeeded by Presidential Office spokesperson Lii Wen (李問).
However, people familiar with the matter denied any personnel moves, saying the rumors had caused inconvenience to Taiwan’s representative office in the US.
Additional reporting by Hsu Tzu-ling
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