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Updated Thursday, September 10, 2009 11:33 am TWN, The China Post news staff



	Outgoing Premier Liu Chao-shiuan, left, shakes hands with incoming Premier Wu Den-yi while visiting the Central Standing Committee of the ruling Kuomintang yesterday to express his gratitude to committee members for their support of his Cabinet in the past 15 months. (CNA) Enlarge Photo

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New Cabinet unveiled

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Incoming Premier Wu Den-yih yesterday announced the new line-up for the Cabinet, reshuffling some key positions, but keeping most of the incumbent members.

Lin Join-sane, deputy minister of the interior, will serve as new secretary-general of the Cabinet, replacing Steve Hsueh, who had already tendered his resignation last month over his controversial remarks about Typhoon Morakot rescue work.

The Ministry of the Interior will be headed by Jiang Yi-huah, incumbent chairman of Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, replacing outgoing Interior Minister Liao Liao-yi who will depart for a higher position as secretary-general of the Presidential Office.

The new Foreign Minister will be Timothy Yang, Taiwan's representative to Indonesia, replacing Francisco Ou, who has seen one of his deputies sacked over the Morakot relief disasters.

Kao Hua-chu, incumbent head of the Veterans Affairs Commission, will serve as Defense Minister, replacing Chen Chao-min, who was blamed for the troops' alleged inaction in the early stages of the Morakot rescue work.

Lee Sush-der will stay on as finance minister, but Economics Minister Yiin Chii-ming will be replaced by Shih Yen-shiang, incumbent chairman of CPC Corp., Taiwan and former vice economics minister.

State Minister Without Portfolio Tsai Hsung-hsiung will concurrently assume the chairmanship of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, as the incumbent head of the council Chen Tien-chih insisted on leaving.

The new education minister will be Wu Ching-ji, incumbent deputy mayor of Taipei, replacing Cheng Jui-cheng.

In addition, five ministers without portfolio are Tsai Hsung-hsiung (incumbent), Ovid Tzeng (incumbent), Chang Jin-fu (incumbent), Frank Fan (who will concurrently continue to head the Public Construction Commission), and James Hsueh.

Other ministers invited by Premier-designate Wu Den-yih include Minister of Communications and Transportation Mao Chi-kuo, Justice Minister Wang Ching-feng, Government Information Minister Su Chun-bin, Minister of Department of Health Yang Chi-liang, Chairwoman Lai Hsing-yuan of the Mainland Affairs Council, Chairwoman Jennifer Wang of the Council of Labor Affairs, Minister of Sports Affairs Council Dai Hsia-ling, Commissioner Kao Shih-po of the Mongolian & Tibetan Affairs.

The proposed line-up for the new Cabinet will be submitted to President Ma Ying-jeou for approval today, presidential spokesman Tony Wang said.

The president will explain his decision to appoint Wu to form a new government at a press conference at 5:00 p.m. today, Wang said.

Wu and the designated vice premier, Eric Chu, are expected to attend the press conference.

Premier Liu Chao-shiuan is expected to lead his Cabinet in resigning en masse today after chairing the last meeting of his administrative team.

The Cabinet is being reshuffled under mounting pressure from the angry public over the government's slow rescue efforts in the wake of Typhoon Morakot.

The typhoon dumped record rainfalls in southern Taiwan last month and triggered massive floods and landslides killing hundreds of people.

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