Taiwan president cedes some powers to premier

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has ceded some powers to the premier in an attempt to deflect growing pressure from supporters and opponents alike to resign but media said on Thursday it was not enough.
Chen, whose approval rating has sunk to new lows after an insider trading scandal implicated his son-in-law, said late on Wednesday that Premier Su Tseng-chang would be wholly responsible for appointing cabinet ministers and setting government policy.
But Chen also said he would retain powers vested in him by the constitution. Presidential office spokesman David Lee said Chen would still hold the diplomatic and military portfolios and have the say in ties with China, which claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan.
"The reason is, as you can see from news reporting, the scandal is unstoppable," Lee said when asked why Chen yielded some powers. "In this society, if there's a scandal about a member of your family it's a shame to the whole family."
Chen's most trusted aide, deputy chief of staff Ma Yung-chen, and a national security adviser quit on Thursday as part of the president's pledge to be selfless, a presidential office statement said.
Taiwan stocks ended 0.38 percent higher in part because Chen's announcement sparked hopes of better ties between Taiwan and China, while the news curbed Taiwan dollar losses.
But the media said Chen's move was too little too late. "Chen Shui-bian should voluntarily quit the party to give the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) a new lease on life," the United Daily News said in an editorial. A China Times commentary said: "Becoming a mere figurehead cannot quell the people's anger.
"The people had hoped that Chen would express regret, but he did not. The people had hoped that he would explain clearly what happened in those wrongdoings, but he did not," it said.
About 50 aides of DPP lawmakers issued a statement saying they had lost confidence in and patience with Chen. Opposition leader Ma Ying-jeou questioned whether Chen had amassed too much power and said he had yet to come clean.
"We ask him to be honest with the public and clarify exactly what the first family has done," Ma told reporters.
Taiwan media said Chen's announcement may mean Premier Su could be 100 percent his own man, leaving Chen as a lame duck with two years to go before his second four-year term ends in 2008. The constitution bars Chen from running for a third term.