On August 21, the cabinet of Premier Lien Chan, who is also vice-president, resigned. It was replaced by a new "action cabinet" under Vincent Siew, which took office on September 1. In a disspirited atmosphere caused by a recent series of heinous crimes and tragic natural disasters, people are watching the new premier closely. His cabinet has shown some responsiveness, especially with regard to the China Petroleum gas explosion and cultural development in Ilan.

The Lien premiership, which he held concurrently with the vice-presidency for just over a year (though he was also premier before becoming VP), has come to an end. Lien was replaced by Vincent Siew, a former cabinet official who resigned to carry the KMT banner in the Legislative Yuan elections. Siew was thus in the legislature until his appointment.

Siew is well known for his constant smile and consultative approach. Besides improving the social situation and streamlining the Taiwan Provincial Government (TPG), Siew will also have to deftly manage the relations among the Executive Yuan, the Legislative Yuan, and the Presidency.

Because the Lien cabinet had already had a minor reshuffle recently in response to protests over declining social order, Siew retained 26 incumbent cabinet members, changing only 11 positions. New figures include: Vice-Premier John Chang (former Minister of Foreign Affairs); Minister of Foreign Affairs Jason Hu (formerly chief ROC representative in the US); Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission chairman Yang Chaur-hsin (former political vice-minister of Education); and Central Personnel Administration chief Wei Chi-lin, a management scholar.

Such appointments represent youth and expertise, and demonstrate a commitment to improving administrative efficiency. However, the top efficiency issue, streamlining the TPG, will prove difficult. Provincial Governor James Soong recently strongly criticized the downsizing plan. But after a trip abroad, Soong's first gesture upon returning was to call upon the new premier, and Siew visited the TPG on his first weekend in office. Also, Siew appointed Lin Feng-cheng, an old Soong colleague, as a minister without portfolio; he will be specifically reponsible for TPG streamlining and will also serve as a bridge between the TPG and the center. For the moment, the mood is largely harmonious.

Other new faces include Department of Health Director Chan Chi-hsien (formerly director of the Chi-Mei Hospital); ministers without portfolio Huang Ta-chou, Chen Chien-min and Chan Huo-sheng; Tibetan and Mongolian Affairs Commission Chairman Kao Kung-lian; and Executive Yuan Secretary-General Chang You-hui.

The new group aims to be an "action cabinet." Before his appointment Premier Siew inspected the damage from Typhoon Amber, and on his first weekend in office went to the countryside to inspect workers' housing and the new expressway. He also decided to set up a southern office in Kaohsiung to keep in better touch with opinion there.

Siew describes national construction as being a relay race, and promised to continue the programs of the Lien cabinet. He emphasized that he wants to avoid the past errors of developing industry without regard for environmental protection, and of improving material life without giving attention to culture. He hopes government and society can work together to build the country.

In his press conference upon taking office, he offered a six-point platform for his administration.

The first point was improvement of social order, the decay of which has been made clear by recent major crimes. The National Police Administration has already begun a sweep targeted at guns, drugs, and professional gambling. Second, in economic policy, the new cabinet will continue to promote the Asia-Pacific Regional Operations Center concept, led by holdovers P.K. Chiang at the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) and Wang Chih-kang at the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

In addition, the new cabinet will stress quality of life and cultural affairs. The CEPD recently put forth a new program to improve the appearance and quality of life in Taiwan. Cities and counties must participate, and they must choose from their worst districts for the beautification competition. Civic groups are also welcome to participate.

Fourth, in cultural affairs, though the constitutional requirement that 15% of the national budget go to education was recently eliminated, Premier Siew promised real increases in spending on education and culture. He also went to Ilan for the ground-breaking ceremony of the long-awaited "National Traditional Arts Center." Siew reminded everyone not to think only of money, saying that only spiritual and cultural things are priceless.

As for relations with mainland China, Siew hopes to get them back on track, to move toward rational discussion. The PRC seems to think that next spring would be an opportune time to start negotiations, and Siew has said: "Let's all welcome the spring." Finally, as his sixth point, Siew stressed national security and pragmatic diplomacy, saying that the ROC's existence is the prerequisite to all other policies and to improved cross-strait relations.

The Legislative Yuan (LY) met the new cabinet by welcoming the new premier to present his report on government affairs, ending the two-session boycott of the former-premier's statements to the LY and interpellations. As a former legislator who understands their problems, before organizing his cabinet Siew held seven banquets with legislators to ask for advice. He described his report to the LY as "a bride returning to her mother's home." Legislators seemed positive, and the "no-confidence vote" some feared on the first day never materialized. Even the New Party, which protested the LY being deprived of its former power of approval over new premiers, made a gesture of reconciliation by holding up yellow protest banners rather than white ones (white is considered an inauspicious color by Chinese).

Everyone expects concrete results from the new cabinet. These expectations can be expected to turn to active oversight and demands for action, testing the mettle of the cabinet.