Former deputy minister of economic affairs Francis Liang (梁國新) has been appointed Taiwan’s representative to Singapore, the Presidential Office announced yesterday.
The government originally named Antonio Chiang (江春男) to the post, but he resigned in August amid controversy resulting from a drunk driving incident in Taipei.
At the time, the Presidential Office expressed respect for Chiang’s decision.
Photo: CNA
Rumors that New Southbound Policy Office Director James Huang (黃志芳) would be tapped for the position emerged early last month, but questioned by lawmakers, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) said that Huang was not on the short list for the post.
Liang previously served as director of the economic division at Taiwan’s representative office in the US and is currently chairman of the government-funded Taiwan External Trade Development Council.
US President Donald Trump yesterday announced sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" on US trading partners, including a 32 percent tax on goods from Taiwan that is set to take effect on Wednesday. At a Rose Garden event, Trump declared a 10 percent baseline tax on imports from all countries, with the White House saying it would take effect on Saturday. Countries with larger trade surpluses with the US would face higher duties beginning on Wednesday, including Taiwan (32 percent), China (34 percent), Japan (24 percent), South Korea (25 percent), Vietnam (46 percent) and Thailand (36 percent). Canada and Mexico, the two largest US trading
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