TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's government leadership underwent a major transformation Thursday (Aug. 28) as Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) unveiled a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle targeting the island's most critical ministries. The comprehensive reorganization affects 16 senior officials across key government departments, including the National Development Council (國家發展委員會), Ministry of Economic Affairs (經濟部), and Ministry of Health and Welfare (衛生福利部). Cho positioned the changes as essential for injecting fresh perspectives and accelerating reform initiatives throughout Taiwan's administrative framework.
The Premier acknowledged potential political backlash while defending his leadership choices, stating that he knows he cannot satisfy everyone but is very confident in this new team. Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) will assume control of Taiwan's economic policy as Minister of Economic Affairs following 15 months of close partnership with Cho. The transition brings Xavier Chang (張惇涵) into the crucial Secretary-General role, where Cho expects him to bolster administrative coordination between Taiwan's central government and local authorities.
Taiwan's newly established Ministry of Sports (運動部) will begin operations Monday (Sept. 9) under interim leadership of Deputy Minister Cheng Shih-chung (鄭世忠) while designated Minister Lee Yang (李洋) completes overseas commitments. The Cabinet restructuring simultaneously installs Yeh Chun-hsien (葉俊顯) as head of the National Development Council, Taiwan's key economic planning agency, alongside Lin Yi-jing (林宜敬) as Minister of Digital Affairs. These appointments reflect Taiwan's emphasis on sports development, economic strategy, and technological advancement.
The Premier assigned Taiwan's most pressing healthcare challenges to new Health and Welfare Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), emphasizing urgent needs for health insurance reform and medical workforce expansion. Cho anticipates Deputy Minister Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) will provide crucial support for public health programs under Shih's leadership. The reshuffle extends to indigenous affairs, where Deputy Minister Chen Yi-hsin (陳義信) of the Council of Indigenous Peoples (原住民族委員會) faces expectations to expand educational and career opportunities for Taiwan's indigenous communities. ◼