A Cabinet reshuffle is to be finalized later this week, with more than five senior officials expected to be replaced, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said today.
Speaking at the Legislative Yuan, Cho confirmed that the Cabinet reshuffle would be done this week, although he declined to elaborate on the scale of the change.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
However, he said that more than five ministers or deputy ministers would be replaced, given that some officials had already tendered their resignations.
He was referring to Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝), who cited health concerns after 15 months in office, and Minister of Digital Affairs Huang Yen-nun (黃彥男), who said he would return to his previous research work.
Cho said the reshuffle would be the result of a "comprehensive" review of the current Cabinet and reflect new policy priorities pledged by President William Lai (賴清德) last week.
Shortly after recall votes targeting seven Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers failed on Saturday, dealing a blow to his government, Lai pledged that the new Cabinet would ensure that his administration is more effective in solving problems and responsive to public opinion.
The president said that while Cho had also expressed an intention to step down, he had decided to stay on as premier.
The Democratic Progressive Party government has suffered major setbacks after failed attempts to push for the recall of 31 KMT lawmakers and having a 20 percent baseline tariff imposed on Taiwan's goods sold to the US, prompting the party to make changes.
Lai said his administration would prioritize an agenda focused on the economy and people's livelihoods, and pursue more dialogue with the opposition, after it engaged in a stand-off with the opposition-controlled legislature since taking office in May last year.
Cho said his Cabinet would work toward improving its relationship with opposition leaders and lawmakers, as several bills concerning budgets and special allocations still require legislative approval.
"[We] hope the legislature will give us this opportunity," Cho said.
He also said that the government's ongoing challenges to several opposition-backed bills passed by the legislature at the Constitutional Court were "not open for discussion."
Over the past year, the government has brought several pieces of legislation to court in an effort to overturn them, including this year's central government budget and measures mandating a larger share of tax revenue for local governments.
The Cabinet also plans to challenge increases in military personnel allowances in court.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Yilan County at 8:39pm tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The epicenter was 38.7km east-northeast of Yilan County Hall at a focal depth of 98.3km, the CWA’s Seismological Center said. The quake’s maximum intensity, which gauges the actual physical effect of a seismic event, was a level 4 on Taiwan’s 7-tier intensity scale, the center said. That intensity level was recorded in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳), Hsinchu County’s Guansi Township (關西), Nantou County’s Hehuanshan (合歡山) and Hualien County’s Yanliao (鹽寮). An intensity of 3 was
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