One of President Chen Shui-bian's first duties was to swear in a Cabinet. Nearly all of its forty members are new to central government, and at first the media had a hard time putting names to faces. Here is an illustrated list of the ministers, council chairs, commission heads, directors-general, and other departmental chiefs who have been given a chance to sit at the big table.
Tang Fei, 68. Premier. Graduate, Chinese Air Force Academy. Vice Chief of the General Staff, Ministry of National Defense; Commander in Chief, ROC Air Force; Chief of General Staff, ROC Armed Forces; since 1999, Minister of National Defense.
Yu Shyi-kun, 52. Vice Premier and Chair, Consumer Protection Commission. BA from Tunghai University. Member, Taiwan Provincial Assembly. Elected Ilan County magistrate, 1989. Last served as secretary-general, Democratic Progressive Party.
Wea Chi-lin, 52. Cabinet Secretary-General. BA, National Chung Hsing University; MA in Management Science, London University; doctorate in Human Sciences, University of Paris. Was director-general, Central Personnel Administration; lately chair, Development and Evaluation Commission of the Cabinet
Lin Neng-pai, 46. Minister without Portfolio and Chair, Public Construction Commission. BA, National Taiwan University (NTU); MA and Ph.D. in Management, Ohio State University. Has taught at NTU's Graduate School of Business and Department of Business Management; dean of NTU's College of Management.
Huang Jung-tsun, 53. Minister without Portfolio. Bachelor's, master's, and doctor's degrees in Psychology from NTU. Last served as professor-director, NTU's Institute of Psychology.
Chen Chin-huang, 48. Minister without Portfolio. MD, NTU. After residency at NTU Hospital, practiced in Chiayi County. Has served on several consultative committees. President, Hsin Kang Foundation of Culture and Education, since 1987.
Chang Yu-hui, 59. Minister without Portfolio. Doctoral candidate, College of Political and Social Sciences, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Was president and chair, Taiwan Aluminum Corp. and Taiwan Sugar Co., before becoming Cabinet secretary-general. Last served as member, Kuomintang Central Committee.
Tsay Ching-yen, 55. Minister without Portfolio. BA, NTU; Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, University of Utah. Has served as director-general of the Central Weather Bureau and Civil Aeronautics Administration respectively, and as vice chair, National Science Council.
Hu Ching-piao, 56. Minister without Portfolio. BA, NTU; MA, Auburn University; Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Director, Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Science Council. Last served as chair, Atomic Energy Council.
Chang Po-ya, 57. Minister of the Interior and Taiwan Provincial Governor. MPH, Institute of Public Health, NTU; MPH, Johns Hopkins University; doctorate in Public Health, Kyorin University, Japan. Has been mayor of Chiayi, legislator, and director-general, Department of Health.
Tien Hung-mao, 61. Minister of Foreign Affairs. BA, Tunghai University; MA and Ph.D. in Political Science, University of Wisconsin. Professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin since 1968; National Policy Adviser to the President since 1996.
Wu Shih-wen, 63. Minister of National Defense. Graduated from ROC Naval Academy. Studied at the Naval Command and Staff College and the US Naval College. Has been superintendent, ROC Naval Academy; Vice Chief of the General Staff; and Commander in Chief, ROC Navy.
Shea Jia-dong, 51. Minister of Finance. BA and MA in Economics, NTU; Ph.D. in Economics, Stanford University. Has been professor at NTU; director, Academia Sinica's Institute of Economics; and deputy governor, Central Bank of China.
Ovid J.L. Tzeng, 55. Minister of Education. BA and MA, National Chengchi University; Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, Pennsylvania State University. Has been lecturer and professor at University of California-Riverside; dean, College of Social Science, National Chung Cheng University; and president, National Yangming University.
Chen Ding-nan, 56. Minister of Justice. LL.B., NTU. Served as Ilan County magistrate from 1981 to 1989; legislator since 1993.
Lin Hsin-yi, 53. Minister of Economic Affairs. BA in Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University.
Studied Industrial Management at University of Oklahoma City. Has been vice president, executive vice president, president, and vice chairman of China Motor Corp.
Yeh Chu-lan, 51. Minister of Transportation and Communications. Bachelor's degree in Law, Fu Jen Catholic University. Has worked in the advertising industry, and has been a legislator since 1990.
Hsu Cheng-kuang, 57. Chair, Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission. Ph.D. in Sociology, Brown University. Has been professor, National Tsinghua University; director, Academia Sinica's Institute of Ethnology; and president, Taipei Hakka Cultural Foundation.
Chang Fu-mei, 61. Chair, Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission. Ph.D. in Law, Harvard University. Has been fellow at Hoover Institute, Stanford University; member, National Assembly; executive director, Taipei City Government's Committee for Examining Petitions and Appeals; member, Control Yuan.
Perng Fai-nan, 61. Governor, Central Bank of China (CBC). BA in Economics, National Chung Hsing University; MA in Economics, University of Minnesota. Joined CBC in 1986 as director-general, Economic Research Department, subsequently becoming director-general, Foreign Exchange Department, and deputy governor. CBC chair since 1998.
Lin Chuan, 48. Director-General, Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics. Ph.D. in Economics, University of Illinois. Has taught at Chengchi University's Department of Public Finance since 1989, with three years' leave from 1995 to 1998 to serve as director-general, Taipei City Government's Bureau of Finance.
Chu Wu-hsien, 49. Director-General, Central Personnel Administration. Doctorate in Law, Universitat des Saarlandes, Germany. Has been a professor; deputy secretary-general, Examination Yuan; director, Mainland Affairs Council's Law Reform Department; member, Appeal and Review Committee, Examination Yuan.
Chung Chin, 47. Director-General, Government Information Office. BA in Economics, NTU. MA and doctoral re search in Economics, Cornell University. Since 1997 has been researcher, Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Re search, Mainland China Division.
Lee Ming-liang, 63. Minister of Health. MD, NTU; Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Miami. Has taught at University of Miami and University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; was chief fellow, Medical Genetics, Johns Hopkins Hospital; became president, Tzu Chi College of Medicine, 1994.
Lin Jun-yi, 61. Administrator, Environmental Protection Administration. Master's and doctor's degrees in Biology, Indiana University. Has been director, Taipei City Government's Bureau of Environmental Protection; professor of biology, Tunghai University.
Tu Cheng-sheng, 56. Director, National Palace Museum. BA and MA in History, NTU. Studied at London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London. Was lecturer and associate professor, Soochow University, before entering Academia Sinica's Institute of History and Philosophy. Last served as director of the institute.
Tsai Ing-wen, 43. Chair, Mainland Affairs Council. Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in Law, NTU, Cornell University, and London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London. Has been professor; adviser on international economic organizations, Ministry of Economic Affairs; member, International Trade Commission.
Chen Po-chih, 51. Chair, Council for Economic Planning and Development. Ph.D. in Economics, NTU. Has been professor and chair, NTU's Department of Economics and Graduate Institute of Economics. Was secretary-general of the Chinese Economic Association and has served on several official advisory committees.
Yang Te-chih, 58. Chair, Veterans Affairs Commission. Graduated from Chinese Military Academy. Has been Deputy Chief of General Staff, Logistics; Vice Chief of General Staff, Ministry of National Defense; and Commander in Chief, Combined Services Force General Headquarters.
Lin Fang-mei, 39. Chair, National Youth Commission. Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Pennsylvania. Has been professor, National Chengchi University's Department of Journalism.
Hsia Der-yu, 50. Chair, Atomic Energy Council. MA in Physics, University of Tennessee; Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Has been director, Atomic Energy Council's Nuclear Regulatory Division and Institute of Nuclear Energy Research.
Weng Cheng-i, 56. Chair, National Science Council. BS in Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University; MS and Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Sciences, University of Rochester, USA. Has taught at National Chen Kung University since 1973; president of the school since 1997. Also served as chair, Aviation Safety Council.
Lin Chia-cheng, 47. Chair, Research, Development and Evaluation Commission. BA in economics; MA and Ph.D. in Political Science, NTU. Has been professor of sociology, Soochow University; chair, Taipei City Government's Re search, Development and Evaluation Commission; and (from 1997 to 1998) deputy mayor of Taipei.
Chen Hsi-huang, 64. Chair, Council of Agriculture. Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics, NTU; master's and doctor's degrees in Agricultural Economics, University of Georgia. Has been professor and head of NTU's Department of Agricultural Economics.
Tchen Yu-chiou, 51. Chair, Council of Cultural Affairs. Graduated from Conservatoire Superieur de Paris. Has been professor, National Taiwan Normal University's Department of Music, and has served on several official consultative committees.
Chen Chu, 49. Chair, Council of Labor Affairs. Studied at Graduate School of Social Transformation Studies, Shih Hsin University, and Institute of Public Affairs Management, Sun Yat-sen University. Has been director, Taipei City Government's Bureau of Social Affairs; director, Kaohsiung City Government's Bureau of Social Affairs.
Isqaqavut Yohani, 46. Chair, Council of Aboriginal Affairs. Bachelor's degree in Religion and Social Work, and master's degree in Divinity, Tainan Theological College. Has been director, Taichung Indigenous College Students' Center; president, Foundation of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan.
Hsu I-hsiung, 61. Chair, National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (NCPFS). Bachelor's, master's, and doctor's degrees in Physical Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Tokyo Educational University, and Tsukuba University, Japan. Has been chair, National Society of Physical Education; commissioner, NCPFS.
Chao Yang-ching, 50. Chair, Fair Trade Commission. LL.M., Graduate School of Public Finance, National Chengchi University. International Tax Program, Harvard Law School. Has been senior specialist, counselor, deputy director-general, and director-general of the Ministry of Finance's Department of National Treasury. Fair Trade Commission chair since 1998.
Wang Chun, 63. Director-General, Coast Guard Administration. Graduated from Central Police College. Has served as director, Taitung County Police Department; commissioner, Criminal Investigation Bureau; director, Kaohsiung Police Headquarters; and deputy director-general, National Police Administration.