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New defense minister to withdraw from presidential campaign

ROC Central News Agency

2008-02-23 21:26:39

    Taipei, Feb. 23 (CNA) Defense Minister-designate Tsai Ming-hsian will withdraw from campaigning for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential ticket after assuming his new post, a close friend of Tsai said Saturday. "Tsai has to stop his involvement in presidential campaign affairs to maintain administrative neutrality and devote himself wholeheartedly to Defense Ministry work, " said Tsai's friend, speaking on condition of anonymity.

    Meanwhile, Chang Liao Wan-chien, a Taichung city councilor, described Tsai's appointment as a suitable personnel arrangement, saying he is a man of integrity and diligence who is capable and experienced. "Tsai is no stranger to defense affairs, as he has served as deputy defense minister and as deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council, " said Chang Liao, who served as top campaign manager of Tsai's unsuccessful bid for a legislative seat in the Jan. 12 elections.

    During his two terms as legislator from 1996-2002, Tsai was on the Defense Committee and once served as its convener, an experience that enabled him to get a full grasp of the country's defense posture and military strength, Chang Liao said.

    But a political analyst said Tsai, who is now an adviser to the Ministry of National Defense (MND), will face a host of tough tasks as the first defense minister from the DPP, which has a scant support base in the military.

    The Executive Yuan announced Tsai's appointment as the new defense minister earlier in the day after Lee Tien-yu abruptly resigned over a dispute surrounding a defense firm.

    Lee resigned after opposition lawmakers accused members of the DPP administration of seeking to profit from the defense company, named Taiwan Goal, which is headed by Wu Nai-jen, a DPP heavyweight who maintains close ties with Vice Premier Chiou I-jen. "I deeply regret that the establishment of Taiwan Goal caused concerns and doubts in various sectors and I hereby tender my resignation, " Lee said in a brief statement posted on the MND Web site late Friday.

    Premier Chang Chun-hsiung promptly approved Lee's resignation and appointed Tsai as his successor.

    The first test for Tsai is to maintain stability in the military ahead of the presidential election, the analyst said, adding that the precarious cross-Taiwan Strait military situation could also be great challenge. "With less than a month to go before the March 22 presidential poll, Tsai must settle the dust and ripples from the bungled Taiwan Goal project as quickly as possible to boost military morale and maintain combat readiness," the analyst said.

    As the main opposition Kuomintang, which now holds an absolute majority in the Legislative Yuan, had attributed its defeat in the 2004 presidential election partly to the alleged MND restrictions on absence of leave on the voting day, the analyst said Tsai will definitely come under intensive supervision by the opposition camp over the MND planning to enable as many service members as possible to return home to cast ballots this time around.

    The KMT, who used to be in power for more than 50 years, commands astrong support base in the military.

    Although the MND said last week it has not detected any abnormal or unusual movement of the Chinese army amid the heat of presidential campaign in Taiwan, the analyst said, Tsai cannot afford any lapse or negligence in guard against unexpected developments in the Taiwan Strait situation. "Ensuring military stability and smooth proceeding of the presidential election will be Tsai's top mission before the country's new president takes office on May 20," the analyst said.

    In the face of China's continued expansion of its military might, Tsai has consistently advocated closer Taiwan-U.S.-Japan cooperation to maintain East Asian stability and peace, using the U.S.-Japan defense treaty and the Taiwan Relations Act as a platform.

    Tsai traveled to the United States to pursue a doctoral degree after graduating from National Taiwan University's Department of Law. As he maintained frequent contacts with political dissidents in Taiwan during his stay in the United States, he was barred from returning to Taiwan to take up a teaching job in 1982 when Taiwan was still under martial law. He did not return until 1990 after the lifting of the martial law.

    He started his political career with a seat on the now defunct National Assembly and later won a legislative seat. He switched to the administrative job after the DPP won the presidency in 2000. He first served as the country's deputy representative to the United States before returning to take up the post of deputy defense minister in 2004. He resigned from his post as NSC deputy secretary-general in 2006 to prepare for the legislative race in his hometown of Taichung City, which he lost.

(By Sofia Wu)

ENDITEM/J