Premier-designate names more Cabinet appointments

Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) Premier-designate Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Saturday named former Keelung Mayor Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) as interior minister and Deputy Minister of Culture Hsiao Tsung-huang (蕭宗煌) as director of the National Palace Museum (NPM).

In a Facebook post, Chen unveiled a second list of incoming Cabinet appointees, with Lin, Hsiao, and Culture Minister Shih Che (史哲), who is currently Kaohsiung deputy mayor, being new additions to the Cabinet, which is scheduled to be sworn in on Jan. 31.

Lin was appointed to fill the position left vacant by Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) who resigned in December last year, with the post temporarily taken over by Deputy Interior Minister Hua Ching-chun (花敬群).

The incumbent NPM Director Wu Mi-cha (吳密察) will be replaced by Hsiao, who served as director of Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, National Taiwan Museum, and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts before being tapped to be a deputy minister of culture since 2018.

Minister of Culture-designate Shih will replace Lee Yung-te (李永得), who has been appointed as a minister without portfolio, according to Chen's statement released on Friday.

Shih, 53, was a leader of the student demonstration for democracy in 1990, known as the "Wild Lily student movement." He has served in the Kaohsiung City government since 2016, first as director of the Bureau of Cultural Affairs before becoming deputy mayor.

Meanwhile, Chen announced that Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠), Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-hsiang (蔡清祥), Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材), Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元), Minister Without Portfolio Audrey Tang (唐鳳), and Environmental Protection Administration Minister Chang Tzi-chin (張子敬) will remain in their posts.

Chen also retained the services of Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲), Financial Supervisory Commission Chairman Huang Tien-mu (黃天牧), Veterans Affairs Council Minister Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬), Minister of the Council of Indigenous People Icyang Parod, and Hakka Affairs Council Minister Yiong Con-ziin (楊長鎮).

Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics Minister Chu Tzer-ming (朱澤民), Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Minister Su Chun-jung (蘇俊榮), and Chairperson of Taiwan Council for U.S. Affairs Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮) also stay on.

The latest announcement came after former Vice President Chen Chien-jen was officially named the new premier on Friday by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who described Chen as the best person to unite the nation at a time when Taiwan faces challenges ahead.

The Cabinet of current Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) will resign en masse on Jan. 30, clearing the way for the new Cabinet to be sworn in during an official handover ceremony on Jan. 31.