The government on March 5 carried through a minor cabinet reshuffle, the second one since President Chen Shui-bian came to office less than a year ago. The heads of the Environmental Protection Administration, Atomic Energy Commission, and National Science Council have all been switched, as has one minister without portfolio. The immediate trigger for the reshuffle was the government's slow response to the oil spill off the coast of Kenting National Park, which angered many. The reshuffle thus appears to have been prompted by a desire to improve the government's performance.
On February 25 at the National Administrative Reforms Conference, President Chen Shui-bian roundly criticized the cabinet for its inefficiency and listed a number of issues that he felt had been poorly handled. Chen mentioned the failure to pass legislation to repeal the national holiday on February 28, the slow progress of reconstruction in areas hardest hit by the earthquake of September 1999, the vibration problem at the Tainan Science-Based Industrial Park caused by the high-speed rail project, the fact that work on the Tunghsiao-Tachia section of the Second Freeway project in central Taiwan is 30% behind schedule, and the slow response to the oil spill caused by the grounding of the MV Amorgos. In his remarks, Chen singled out individuals by name, including the heads of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Environmental Protection Administration, and the Central Personnel Administration. The incident drew a great deal of attention in the news media.
After the president's "fireworks display," the issue of a cabinet reshuffle became a key focus of interpellations at the Legislative Yuan on February 27, with legislators in the ruling and opposition parties especially concerned about the following issues: how high an official would have to take responsibility for the slow response to the oil spill in Kenting; the situation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs as a result of the struggle over the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant; and the situation at the Ministry of Education, where there has been controversy over education reform and competing Chinese romanization systems. In addition, the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission also caused a stir on February 26 when it released a report on the Kenting oil spill calling for disciplinary action against Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Chu-lan, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) head Edgar Lin, and EPA deputy administrator Li Chieh-mu.
On March 2 Premier Chang Chun-hsiung announced that there would be a minor cabinet reshuffle, and that same evening he called a meeting of top officials to start interviewing prospective appointees. A finalized list of appointments was released on March 5, finally closing an issue that had attracted intense media scrutiny. Exiting the cabinet were EPA administrator Edgar Lin, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) head Hsia Der-yu, and National Science Council (NSC) head Weng Cheng-I. Lin was replaced at the EPA by New Party legislator Hau Lung-pin, Hsia at the AEC by Hu Ching-piao (who had already headed the AEC under former president Lee Teng-hui), and Weng at the NSC by Wei Che-ho (vice-president of National Chiao Tung University). The post of minister without portfolio vacated by Hu Ching-piao was filled by Hu Sheng-cheng (director of the Institute of Economics at Academia Sinica).
Among those leaving the cabinet, former EPA head Edgar Lin will become ambassador to Gambia, and former NSC head Weng Cheng-I will return to his former duties as a university professor. The destination of former AEC head Hsia Der-yu has not yet been decided. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has several state-run enterprises under its jurisdiction, and these in turn own stakes in many different companies. Hsia is likely to end up at such a company.
Rumors had abounded that the premier would also replace Ovid Tzeng (at the Ministry of Education), Chen Po-chih (at the Council for Economic Planning and Development), Lin Hsin-yi (at the Ministry of Economic Affairs), Lin Chia-cheng (at the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission), and Chu Wu-hsian (at the Central Personnel Administration), but these rumors have proven false. In addition, Yeh Chu-lan, who had offered to resign as Minister of Transportation and Communications, has accepted the request of the premier to remain at her post.
Apart from new NSC chairman Wei Che-ho, the other three new cabinet members had all been under consideration for cabinet appointments last year after Chen Shui-bian's March 18 electoral victory. Hau Lung-pin declined at that time to serve as head of the EPA, citing differences with the political philosophy of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Hu Sheng-cheng had similarly turned down a feeler from Chen regarding the Council for Economic Planning and Development, saying that he had academic research to do. Hu Ching-piao, in the meantime, was serving as chairman of the AEC at the time of Chen's election, but he was subsequently switched to minister without portfolio, and is now returning to his former post just as it has became a political hotseat.
Opposition parties have lambasted the reshuffle. KMT legislative caucus leader Cheng Yung-chin stated that the new appointments reflect neither the will nor the needs of the people, and charged that the DPP administration is still taking an ideological approach to everything it does. The one who most deserves to be replaced is Economics Minister Lin Hsin-yi, said Cheng. Since Lin still remains at his post, asserted Cheng, the recent reshuffle is merely cosmetic. Huang Yi-chiao, spokesman for the legislative caucus of the People First Party, criticized the reshuffle for not addressing the real problem, and charged that the government is just engaging in political sleight of hand to circumvent the will of the people.
Lai Shyh-bao, deputy convener of the New Party caucus, was more measured in his comments. Lai noted that all of the persons replaced were among those whom the president had criticized by name at the National Administrative Reforms Conference, and said that it would therefore be difficult in all fairness to criticize the moves too severely. Nevertheless, he also said that the premier had not gone far enough.
The fact that the DPP administration has been through two cabinet reorganizations within less than a year after Chen Shui-bian took office shows that it is sincerely interested in doing a good job, and that it has the courage to face up to its shortcomings. At the same time, however, it seems clear that after the first transfer of power between political parties ever to take place in the 55 years since the Republic of China moved its capital to Taiwan, both the ruling and opposition parties are still learning how to play their proper roles. Taiwan's democratic system will gradually mature amidst the unprecedented political changes taking place today in Taiwan. Our government has faced many problems and challenges, but we feel confident that the new cabinet will do everything it can to seek greater efficiency and coordination.
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New cabinet members Hau Lung-pin (Environmental Protection Administration), Wei Che-ho (National Science Council), and Hu Ching-piao (Atomic Energy Commission) are shown here at the Legislative Yuan explaining how they intend to approach their jobs. (photo by Chu Chieh)
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