Unpopular Taiwan authority chief resigns
Print Edition
THE head of Taiwan’s executive authority, Lin Chuan, announced his resignation during a press conference yesterday.
The office of Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen said on its website that Lin offered his resignation on Sunday and Tsai had reluctantly accepted it.
Due to Lin’s resignation, the executive body will resign en masse in a formality on Thursday.
Tsai is to announce a successor today, with the islands’s official news agency saying her pick will be William Lai, mayor of the southern city of Tainan who has advocated seeking common ground with China’s mainland.
The mainland cut off contacts with Tsai’s government more than a year ago because of her refusal to accept that Taiwan is a part of China.
The local government’s popularity has been hit by a series of controversial policies, ranging from holiday cuts to pension reforms, as well as by worsening relations with the mainland.
Tsai’s popularity has dropped from a high of nearly 70 percent when she took power last year to below 30 percent in some polls.
In a TVBS poll last month, Lin’s support fell to a record low of 18 percent, while 44 percent said he should be replaced against 26 percent who said he should stay.
“I am happy that somebody will take over the heavy burden and I’m grateful that somebody is willing to do that ... I’ll accept the criticisms that are reasonable,” Lin told reporters when asked about his low public support.
Lin, an economist and former finance minister, was rumored to become the next chief of Taiwan’s monetary authority.
But he said he had no plans to take any government post in future.
There has been widespread speculation that Lai will take over.
Harvard-educated Lai has won praise for his efficient management of Tainan, including his handling of the aftermath of an earthquake in 2016 that killed 116 people.
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