Cabinet reshuffle involving 16 officials, 10 agencies unveiled (Update)

Taipei, Aug. 27 (CNA) The Executive Yuan on Wednesday unveiled a Cabinet reshuffle involving 16 officials across 10 government agencies, including changes to the ministers of economic affairs, digital affairs, and health.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) is set to lead the new Cabinet at a public appearance following Thursday's weekly Cabinet meeting, the Executive Yuan said in a news release Wednesday.

The shake-up comes as President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) administration seeks to reverse a series of recent political setbacks, including failed recall campaigns and declining approval ratings.

● Cabinet reshuffle to be finalized this week: Premier

As part of the changes, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) will take over as the minister of economic affairs, replacing Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝), who said he resigned due to a health issue.

Kung's position will be filled by Xavier Chang (張惇涵), currently deputy secretary-general at the Presidential Office.

Chang will have a new deputy, with Ruan Zhao-syong (阮昭雄), currently vice chairman of the Overseas Community Affairs Council, set to replace Wu Kuei-lian (吳貴蓮).

The National Development Council Minister Liu Chin-ching (劉鏡清), who also resigned for health reasons, will be replaced by Yeh Chun-hsien (葉俊顯), a research fellow at the Institute of Economics, Academia Sinica.

At the Ministry of Digital Affairs, Deputy Minister Lin Yi-jing (林宜敬) has been promoted to succeed Yennun Huang (黃彥男), who resigned to return to Academia Sinica.

Lin's position will be filled by Isabel Hou (侯宜秀), an attorney and the secretary-general of Taiwan AI Academy (AIA), a nonprofit organization.

Meanwhile, National Health Insurance Administration Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) will succeed Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) as health minister, while Taiwan Centers for Disease Control Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) has been promoted to serve as deputy minister.

The Executive Yuan also confirmed Olympic badminton gold medalist Lee Yang (李洋) will head the Ministry of Sports when it is inaugurated on Sept. 9.

Other appointments include Hsieh Yein-rui (謝燕儒), director of the Chemicals Administration at the Ministry of Environment, who will be promoted to deputy minister, succeeding Shih Wen-chen (施文真), who will return to teaching.

Liu Kuo-wei (劉國偉), a professor of electronic engineering at Ming Chuan University, will succeed as deputy minister of Education, replacing Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成), who resigned last Friday over publicly revealing the identity of a National Taiwan University student complaining of sexual harassment on campus.

Former baseball star Chen Yi-hsin (陳義信) will serve as deputy minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples, the Executive Yuan said.