New | Taiwan’s president-elect Tsai Ing-wen faces crisis as cabinet quits en masse
Island’s premier leads resignation of 44 members in apparent move to force the president-elect to assume early responsibility for governing
Taiwan’s entire cabinet resigned on Monday afternoon, risking a shutdown of the island’s government and handing president-elect Tsai Ing-wen her first test in managing a crisis.
Tsai, who won the election on Saturday and steered her Democratic Progressive Party to a legislative majority, will be inaugurated on May 20. The shake-up adds another demand to her already crowded list of tasks before taking over.
Outgoing Premier Mao Chi-kuo led the departure of the 44 cabinet members and vowed he wouldn’t remain even after outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang rejected his resignation.
The KMT, which suffered its worst loss in the election, also entered a new round of infighting after its losing presidential candidate and chairman, Eric Chu Li-luan, resigned to take responsibility.
Meanwhile, the island’s key ally, the US, sent former deputy secretary of state William Burns to meet Tsai. Washington also intends to send Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing this week.
Tsai told Burns she would shoulder the responsibility of maintaining regional peace and stability, the Central News Agency reported, in a veiled reference to how her administration would handle its relations with the mainland. Her administration would maintain close, friendly relations with the United States and promote cooperation with Washington in all areas, especially economic and industrial matters, the agency quoted her as saying.
