Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker and former Tainan County Commissioner Mark Chen (陳唐山) will succeed Eugene Chien (簡又新) as the new foreign minister, the Cabinet announced late last night.
Premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday morning approved the resignation of Chien, who quit over what Chien called the ministry's mistakes leading to the resignation of American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairwoman Therese Shaheen.
Yu, however, expressed the hope that Taiwan's top representative to the US, Chen Chien-jen (程建人), would stay on until next month.
Cabinet Spokesman Lin Chia-lung (
"We will desperately need a replacement because of the upcoming presidential inauguration. There are many things that need to be taken care of, including the reception of foreign guests," Lin said.
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is scheduled to be sworn in for his second four-year term on May 20.
Lin said that the premier reluctantly accepted Chien's resignation yesterday morning after three failed attempts to persuade him to stay until May.
Chien, who tendered his resignation on Friday, was the fifth senior government officials to step down following the highly controversial presidential election on March 20.
Shaheen, citing family reasons for her resignation, had reportedly been asked to step down for sending a congratulatory note to Chen Shui-bian on his re-election victory before the White House had issued an official statement.
Chien said on Friday that the ministry had overlooked certain procedures and failed in its supervision of the AIT. He said that this had been a contributing factor in Shaheen's resignation.
Lin, however, said that the premier's acceptance of Chien's resignation was not based on one isolated case such as Shaheen's departure.
"It is an administrative officer's own decision whether he should take responsibility for certain decisions or polices he made," Lin said. "Our stance is that we leave them ample room to make their own judgments."
While Chen Chien-jen has also offered to resign, Lin said that the premier expressed his wish that he would stay on until May 20.
In Washington, Chen Chien-jen yesterday reiterated his plans to retire, saying he wants to have left Washington by the time Chen Shui-bian is inaugurated.
Lin also dismissed speculations in the media that Vice Premier Lin Hsin-i (林信義) had tendered his resignation and that Council for Hakka Affairs Chairwoman Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) would take his place.
"The vice premier did offer to resign before the presidential election, but has not mentioned it again since then. I don't expect to see any more changes to the Cabinet line-up before May 12," Lin said.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with
RSS