Premier-designate Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday announced the latest list of deputy ministers who are to take office after the inauguration of president-elect William Lai (賴清德) on May 20.
The list, a mixture of old and new officials, ensures continuity, with officials who have performed well staying on while new blood is injected into the incoming administration, Cho said, adding that the new Cabinet would advance democracy, peace and prosperity.
Representative to France Francois Wu (吳志中) has been tapped to be a deputy foreign minister, joining incumbent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang (田中光).
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
As an envoy, Wu is known for his initiative, making high-profile media appearances and bolstering bilateral cooperation with France in business and public health, Cho said.
Deputy ministers of national defense Hsu Yen-pu (徐衍璞) and Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) are to continue in their posts. Hsu was a former commander of the army, executive officer to the deputy chief of the general staff and commander of the Sixth Army Corps, while Po was a deputy executive officer of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research and air force chief of staff.
Former Democratic Progressive Party legislator Huang Shih-chieh (黃世杰) and National Security Bureau Deputy Director-General Hsu Hsi-hsiang (徐錫祥) are to be deputy ministers of justice.
Huang was on the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee and Internal Administration Committee during his stint as a lawmaker, while Hsu Hsi-hsiang had served as a prosecutor and head prosecutor at the Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office, head prosecutor at the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office and Changhua District Prosecutors’ Office, and head prosecutor at the High Prosecutors’ Office.
Ho Chin-tsang (何晉滄), director-general of the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, is to be a deputy minister of economic affairs.
Ho will continue his work to sharpen the international competitiveness of Taiwanese small and medium-sized enterprises and advancing the government’s goal to cut carbon emissions, Cho said.
National Development Council Deputy Minister Kao Shien-quey (高仙桂) and Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) have been retained, as well as Overseas Community Affairs Council Deputy Minister Ruan Jhao-syong (阮昭雄) and Veteran Affairs Council Deputy Minister Fu Cheng-cheng (傅正誠).
Ocean Affairs Council Vice Minister Wu Mei-hung (吳美紅) is to remain in her post, with the other vice ministerial post going to Ocean Conservation Administration Director-General Huang Hsiang-wen (黃向文).
Council of Indigenous Peoples Deputy Minister Qucung Qalavangan is to be joined by Land Administration Department Director Du Chang Mei-chuang (杜張梅莊).
National Palace Museum Director Hsiao Tsung-huang (蕭宗煌) and his deputy, Huang Yung-tai (黃永泰), have also been retained.
Meanwhile, former minister of health and welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), Minister of Culture Shih Che (史哲), Taiwan Council for US Affairs Chairperson Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮) and National Taiwan University professor of law Lin Ming-Hsin (林明昕) have been tapped to be ministers without portfolio.
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