'Vice Premier-designate' Taoyuan County Magistrate Eric Chu Liluan CNA

TAIPEI: Post-disaster reconstruction, epidemic prevention and economic revitalization will be the top priority tasks of the new "cabinet", "Vice Premier-designate" Eric Chu Liluan said yesterday.

Chu said he will assist the "premier" in carrying out those tasks and fulfilling related missions. He is currently magistrate of Taoyuan county in northern Taiwan.

Chu's statements follow in the wake of Monday's announcement, which surprised many political observers, that the entire "cabinet" of "Premier" Liu Chao-shiuan would resign en masse following Thursday's meeting. Liu described the move as a gesture showing "cabinet" members accepted responsibility for criticism of the government's lackluster response to the Typhoon Morakot disaster in early August.

"After having served as a local government head for more than seven years, I have come to fully understand the importance of the government standing together with the public and doing what they desire," Chu said in an interview with the media at his county government office.

Once the new "Cabinet" is sworn in, Chu said he hopes all departments will work in concert just like a local government and address issues with a team spirit.

Noting that many people affected by Typhoon Morakot are still struggling to get back on track, Chu said the new "Cabinet" will definitely prioritize post-disaster recovery and reconstruction after assuming office.

With the number of swine flu patients hospitalized increasing steadily, epidemic prevention will also be high on the agenda, Chu added.

"Equally important will be economic revival, as the domestic economy has yet to bottom out of a recession," said Chu, who has a doctoral degree in accounting.

Chu, a 48-year-old Taiwan native, is due to end eight years as Taoyuan County Magistrate early next year after previously being a legislator. Citigroup Inc said he's a "star" in the Kuomintang party, where he's a vice chairman.

"He's enjoying rather high popularity," Schive said in a Bloomberg Television interview in London. "Maybe the market will bounce to give him applause for his new job."

His appointment is crucial in Taiwan where the "vice premier" is typically the official who helps execute the government's economic policies, Schive added.

Chu, a New York University accounting graduate who sat on the budget and finance committees of the legislature, replaced Paul Chiu, who once held the position of finance chief.

His appointment as "vice premier" could be seen as an attempt to secure Ma's continuing influence on the new government following Liu's resignation, including continuity of Ma's economic and cross-Straits policies, wrote Tony Phoo, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank.

Chu is regarded as one of KMT's new stars who needs experience in Taiwan government before promotion to a higher position, Cheng Cheng-Mount, Citigroup's economist in Taipei, said by phone yesterday.

This is a good opportunity for Chu, who could replace Wu Den-yih as "Premier" in coming years if Ma gets re-elected, Cheng added.

Agencies

(HK Edition 09/09/2009 page2)