Premier-designate Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Tuesday announced the third wave of Cabinet appointments, including the new heads of the economic and digital ministries.
The next Cabinet is to take office on May 20 after president-elect William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration.
Cho on Tuesday announced six new appointments to head the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Digital Affairs, National Development Council (NDC), National Science and Technology Council, Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) and Public Construction Commission.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) is to be the new minister of economic affairs. Currently chairman of semiconductor product distributor Topco Group (崇越集團), Kuo is considered one of Taiwan’s top 100 CEOs with a net worth of more than NT$10 billion (US$307.2 million). He also has experience in the biotechnology, photovoltaic, green energy and health fields, with expertise in corporate management and industrial supply chains.
Huang Yen-nun (黃彥男), a distinguished research fellow with Academia Sinica's Research Center for Information Technology Innovation, is to replace Audrey Tang (唐鳳) as minister of digital affairs.
He conducts cross-disciplinary research in ICT, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things, with the appointment expected to facilitate the integration of AI into more fields.
To head the National Science and Technology Council is Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology president Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文).
Paul Liu (劉鏡清), former chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Consulting Services Taiwan Ltd known as one of the few business leaders to have practical as well as consulting experience, is to head the NDC.
Peng Jin-lung (彭金隆), associate dean of National Chengchi University's College of Commerce, has been appointed the new chairperson of the FSC, while former CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) chairman Chen Chin-te (陳金德) is to head the Public Construction Commission.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
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
Taiwan-based publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀) has been sentenced to three years in prison, fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,890) in personal assets and deprived political rights for one year for “inciting secession” in China, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said today. The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Feb. 17, Chen said. The trial was conducted lawfully, and in an open and fair manner, he said, adding that the verdict has since come into legal effect. The defendant reportedly admitted guilt and would appeal within the statutory appeal period, he said, adding that the defendant and his family have
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