Sean Chen to replace Wu as premier: KMT

Following incumbent Premier Wu Den-yih's (吳敦義) resignation on Jan. 31, President Ma Ying-jeou will formally appoint Chen to the post, the official said on Friday.

Approached by media yesterday, Chen himself stayed tightlipped. He said he will provide a public statement only after the president makes the official appointment.

The 62-year-old Chen is a graduate of National Taiwan University's College of Law. As chairman of the Financial Supervisory Commission, he shaped state policy during the 2008 fiscal crisis. He helped secure a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on financial supervisory cooperation with China in 2009.

DPP Stays Positive

DPP caucus whip Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) remarked that he welcomes Chen as premier.

Tsai said yesterday morning that he is happy to see Chen appointed, but hopes that the appointment will come with a drastic Cabinet reorganization.

The last batch of Cabinet appointments was made with an eye on the election, said Tsai.

Chen's economic credentials could strengthen the Cabinet. Tsai said he hopes other Cabinet members will share Chen's strong financial background, to better support Taiwan's economy through the European debt crisis.

Cabinet Predictions: Press

Recent leaks in the United Daily News, Liberty Times, China Daily, and Apple Daily are starting to sketch out the look of Ma's future Cabinet.

According to a list compiled by the Apple Daily, Minister of the Interior (內政部長) Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) is coming through as a highly probable pick for vice premier (行政院副院長). The China Daily, however, quoted sources as saying that Jiang is reluctant to accept the vice premiership.

Reports point to Lin Yi-shih (林益世) for secretary-general of the Executive Yuan (行政院秘書長), Lin Sheng-chung (林聖忠) for the minister of economic affairs (經濟部長), and Chu Chin-yi (朱敬一) for the minister of finance (財政部長).

Legislator Lin Hong-chi (林鴻池) has emerged as strongest candidate for the head of the KMT Policy Committee (國民黨政策會執行).

For the post of minister of foreign affairs (外交部長), the frontrunner is Feng Chi-tai (馮寄台), the Taiwan representative to Japan.

For presidential office secretary-general (總統府秘書長), it's Tseng Yung-chuan (曾永權), the vice president of the Legislative Yuan.

Jason Yuan (袁健生) of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, is a likely choice for secretary-general of the National Security Council (國安會秘書長).

The names were mentioned as well by United Daily News, Liberty Times and China Daily as possible Cabinet candidates.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email