Taiwan appoints ruling party's former chairman as new premier

10/4/2024 12:00

        Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te appointed Cho Jung-tai, a former chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), to be his premier on Wednesday, with appointments for other roles such as foreign minister due to be announced soon.
        
        The new premier and his cabinet will not assume their roles until Lai is inaugurated on May 20.
        
        Under Taiwan's system of government, the president appoints the premier, who then appoints cabinet members with final approval from the president. It is the cabinet which enacts policy and proposes legislation.
        
        Cho told reporters that he will announce his other cabinet members soon, adding that he will reach across party lines.
        
        Taiwan media has reported that National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo, a lawyer by training, would likely take over as defence minister from Chiu Kuo-cheng, a former army commander.
        
        Current Foreign Minister Joseph Wu will likely succeed Koo as head of the National Security Council, the media reported.