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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 000508 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN'S NEXT PREMIER LIU CHAO-HSUAN:  A PROFILE 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Soochow University President Liu Chao-hsuan 
appears slated to head the new cabinet after president-elect 
Ma Ying-jeou is inaugurated on May 20.  Over the past week 
local newspapers have run front-page stories saying Liu was 
offered and accepted the premiership, edging out other 
contenders such as KMT vice chairman P.K. Chiang (Pin-kung). 
Ma's advisers and Liu himself initially refused to comment on 
the story.  Media reports on April 11 say Ma's office 
confirmed Liu will be appointed premier with a formal 
announcement expected "in the immediate future."  Some 
speculate that may be sometime later next week after vice 
president-elect Vincent Siew returns from his trip to the 
Boao Forum in Hainan, China. 
 
Why Liu? 
-------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Liu's administrative skills, experience, and close 
personal ties to Siew and to Ma himself are said to have 
distinguished him as the best choice for the premiership. 
Liu served as vice premier under Siew from 1997-2000 and, 
according to press reports, had suggested Ma take Siew as his 
running mate last year.  Some party leaders reportedly 
favored P.K. Chiang for the premiership, but at 76 years many 
view him as simply too old for the job.  Chiang, moreover, is 
also thought to have "strained" relations with Vincent Siew, 
who has said publicly that the ideal premier would be someone 
he could work with on improving the economy.  Chiang is now a 
candidate to head the Straits Exchange Foundation, the 
quasi-government body that handles cross-Strait affairs. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Liu has a reputation for being a clean government 
official and experienced technocrat, respected for his 
coordination abilities, intelligence, and character.  Many 
say his past experience as vice premier and transportation 
minister (1993-1996) will help the Ma administration move 
quickly on the economy, which was a key focus of Ma's 
campaign.  Having served on the National Science Council 
(1979-1982; 1984-1987), Liu is also familiar with Taiwan's 
scientific research community and high-tech industries. 
 
Some Naysayers 
-------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Critics say Liu, who was born in Hunan Province, 
China, will open up the Ma administration to political attack 
from the DPP for putting a mainlander in charge of Taiwan's 
internal affairs.  During his time as vice premier, Liu also 
acquired a reputation for being inflexible in dealing with 
the Legislative Yuan (LY), which could complicate Ma's 
efforts to keep the KMT legislative caucus in check.  Others 
charge Liu's reputation has been tarnished by suspicion of an 
extramarital affair. 
 
Personal Information 
-------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Liu is the second youngest of six brothers, all of 
whom have earned Ph.D. degrees from the U.S. or Canada.  Most 
of those family members are reportedly U.S. citizens living 
in the U.S.  Liu paid his way through college by writing 
martial arts fiction under the pseudonym Shan Kuan Ding, with 
some of his more famous works titled "Lonely Sword" and 
"Valley of Quicksand."   Some suggest this is one more 
similarity with president-elect Ma, who himself reportedly 
wrote one or two martial arts works of fiction as a student. 
 
Appendix:  Curriculum Vitae 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Present Positions:  President, Soochow University, 
August 2004-;  Vice Chairman, KMT National Policy Foundation, 
2000-. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Previous Positions: Vice Premier, 1997-2000; 
Chairman, National Science Council, 1996-1997; Minister of 
Transportation and Communications, 1993-1996; President, 
National Tsinghua University, 1987-1993; Vice Chairman, 
 
TAIPEI 00000508  002 OF 002 
 
 
National Science Council, 1984-1987; Professor and Dean, 
College of Science, National Tsinghua University, 1982-1984; 
Director, Planning and Coordination Division, National 
Science Council, 1979-1982; Professor, National Tsinghua 
University, 1975-1979; Associate Professor, National Tsinghua 
University, 1971-1975. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Political Affiliation: Member, KMT. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Education:  B.S. in chemistry, National Taiwan 
University, Taipei, 1965; M.S. in chemistry, University of 
Sherbrooke, Canada, 1968; Ph.D. in chemistry, University of 
Toronto, Canada, 1971. 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  DPOB: May 10, 1943, Hunan Province, China. 
Family: Married to Chien Ming-sai; 3 children. 
YOUNG