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Tawian's President Appoints New Premier
2006-01-21
Taiwan's president appointed a popular politician and former party chief as the island's next premier Thursday in a move aimed at regaining support for the ruling party ahead of the 2008 presidential election. Su Tseng-chang, former chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, will replace Frank Hsieh to head the Cabinet as the island's No. 3 leader, President Chen Shui-bian announced. "The tough task left by Premier Hsieh will be taken over by former Chairman Su Tseng-chang," Chen said. Su resigned last month as the DPP chairman to take responsibility for its poor performance in municipal elections. The party lost the polls to the opposition Nationalist Party amid a series of corruption scandals that tarnished the DPP's image. But the popular figure has won widespread plaudits for his indefatigable efforts on behalf of DPP candidates during the campaign, and is viewed by many as the ruling party's most likely presidential candidate after Chen serves out his term in 2008. Chen praised Su for his dedication to work, calling him by his nickname "electrical fireball" that the politician earned as a democracy campaigner in the 1980s. In a terse statement, Su said he will assume the difficult task. "Let us work together to make Taiwan a better place, make our nation, people and society better," he said at a news conference. Su, 58, will be the fifth premier since Chen was elected in 2000. The premier heads the Cabinet, the body that fine-tunes the president's policies and implements them throughout the island of 23 million. He faces the crucial job of reinvigorating Taiwan's economy, undergoing an uncertain transition from manufacturing high-tech goods to providing sophisticated services. Su also will have to deal with the opposition-controlled legislature. In recent months, opposition lawmakers have seized on the DPP's falling popular support to boycott many of the Cabinet's policy initiatives. If Su runs in the 2008 poll, he would face the hugely popular Nationalist Party leader, Ma Ying-jeou, the Harvard-educated mayor of the capital of Taipei. Observers have said Su must shake up the ruling party, improve government performance and overcome legislative gridlock before he would have any chance to win the 2008 race.
Taiwan mayor polls seen as test for ruling party (2006-11-26)Taiwan premier to follow Chen's tough China tack (2006-01-25)Tawian's President Appoints New Premier (2006-01-21)Taiwanese premier Frank Hsieh resigns (2006-01-17)Taipei deputy mayor in Shanghai on goodwill visit (2001-02-26)
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