The Cabinet's Concrete Policies in Response to the New Year Message by President Chen Shui-bian

President Chen Shui-bian delivered a speech, "Democratic Taiwan: Thriving Onward," on the morning of January 1. In response, Premier Frank Chang-ting Hsieh promptly held a cabinet meeting at 2:00 pm on the same day to discuss how to realize the points put forward by the president in his New Year message. The cabinet met for an hour and a half.

In his message, President Chen focused on eight areas: upholding of Taiwan's popular sovereignty and consciousness; call for the Legislative Yuan's early approval of the arms procurement bill in facing the China threat; incorporation of the "proactive management and effective liberalization" principle in cross-strait economic and trade policies; importance of social equity and justice; investigation and reclamation of improperly acquired assets by the Kuomintang (KMT); constitutional engineering; good governance with honesty and integrity; and establishment of appropriate phases and objectives for improving public order.

While presiding over the cabinet meeting to discuss issues that fall under the Executive Yuan's jurisdiction, Premier Hsieh concluded that the following concrete measures should be taken:

1. China threat
National security should be safeguarded by all people irrespective of their political affiliation. The Office of the President, Executive Yuan, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and DPP legislative caucus will work together to build up social solidarity, win public support, and actively seek legislative approval of the military procurement budget.

2. Proactive management and effective liberalization
While ensuring that national interests are defended and Taiwan's identity is upheld, Taiwan's cross-strait economic and trade policies and principles will stay their course. This does not concern how economic and trade relations can be loosened or tightened, but rather how effective management can be achieved through proposals implemented by ministries and other central government agencies.

As for the high-tech industry, the Executive Yuan is vigorously pushing for legislation to protect sensitive technologies. Effective management will be applied to all business matters, such as tourism and investments in Taiwan by the people of China, a cross-strait currency clearance mechanism, and Taiwan's investments in China. The cabinet must formulate "effective management counterstrategies before related sectors can be liberalized." For example, as Taiwan's government is unable to verify investments by Taiwan businesses in China, a forensic accounting system should be introduced through international accounting organizations to help achieve this purpose.

3. Social equity and justice
The Legislative Yuan has passed the Basic Income Tax Code to further rationalize tax system. In order to implement the National Pension Act, as proposed by President Chen Shui-bian, the Executive Yuan will submit the draft to the Legislative Yuan for consideration in its next session. Meanwhile, the gap between the rich and the poor in Taiwan narrowed, with the ratio decreasing from 6.03:1 in 2004 to less than 6:1 at the end of 2005. Reaching a more equitable distribution of wealth remains a key administrative task for the future.

4. Investigation and reclamation of improperly acquired assets by the KMT
Regarding the reclamation of improperly acquired assets by the KMT, the Executive Yuan will vigorously promote legislation of a related bill by the Legislative Yuan. As for assets already disposed of by the KMT, the Executive Yuan, while taking into consideration the views of the public, is committed to safeguarding the rights and interests of the nation and the people through legal means.

5. Good governance with honesty and integrity
The push to enact the Organic Act of the Anti-corruption Agency under the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) will be consolidated. In addition, the MOJ will strengthen efforts to ensure the civil service code of ethics and eliminate government corruption and black-gold politics. Also being considered is a requirement for certain administrative officials to have their property put in a trust and clarify ambiguous sources of wealth.

6. Establishment of appropriate phases and objectives for improving public order
Both the central and local governments are responsible for maintaining public order. While surveys are conducted regularly to gauge the people's satisfaction with public order, the reward/punishment system for police department chiefs must be linked to the survey results. In addition, the duties of police officers must be further strengthened, and the police force's human resources put to use more effectively. In addition, anti-drug campaigns will continue to play key roles in maintaining public order, as the rehabilitation duration for drug abuse is also extended to reduce the possibility of recidivism. Appropriate phases and objectives for the implementation of such tasks will be established.

Officials present at the meeting included the following: Vice Premier Wu Rong-i; Secretary-general of the Executive Yuan Cho Jung-tai; Minister without Portfolio Hu Sheng-cheng, who concurrently serves as Minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development; Minister without Portfolio Lee Ying-yuan, who concurrently serves as Minister of Labor Affairs; Minister of Justice Shih Mao-lin; Minister of Finance Lin Chuan; Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh; Minister of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission Hsu Chih-hsiung; Minister of the Government Information Office Pasuya Wen-chih Yao; Minister of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission Yeh Jiunn-rong; Governor of the Central Bank Perng Fai-nan; Deputy Minister of the Interior Lin Join-sane; Deputy Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council David W.F. Huang; and Political Vice Chairperson of the Financial Supervisory Commission Lu Daung-yen.

President Chen's New Year Message