TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Presidential Office Spokesperson Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said on Thursday (Jan. 26) that former transportation minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) will serve as Secretary-General to the President.

Lin Chia-lung is a trusted political ally of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), and served as a legislator and as the mayor of Taichung from 2014 to 2018. After leaving that office, he was appointed as Minister of Transportation and Communication. Lin resigned from that post in April 2019 following a tragic train accident in Hualien that took dozens of lives.

More recently, in last year's November elections, Lin lost the election for New Taipei Mayor against incumbent Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) of the Kuomintang (KMT). The announcement by the Presidential Office Spokesperson cited his legislative work and his understanding of national security issues. His service at the local municipal level and in the central government makes him an ideal pick for the job as Secretary-General to the President, per the announcement.

David Lee (李大維), the previous Secretary-General to the President, will return to the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) as chairman. President Tsai thanked Lee for his service, and expressed her confidence that Lee will help promote the goals of the organization that handles unofficial contacts and negotiations with Chinese counterparts.

Meanwhile, National Security Bureau Director-General Chen Ming-tong (陳明通), who was involved in a tsunami of plagiarism scandals last year, has tendered his resignation. Deputy Foreign Minister Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) has been tapped to take over the post following Chen's departure.

Tsai Ming-yan has previously served as an advisor at both the Ministry of National Defense and the Mainland Affairs Council, making him well-suited to take on the role of National Security Bureau Director-General, per the Presidential Office announcement.

Earlier in the day, the Tsai administration selected former Keelung Mayor Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) to serve as Minister of the Interior in a cabinet reshuffle that will also see former Vice-President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) return to the Executive Yuan as Premier.

The Office of the President confirmed Lin Yu-chang’s appointment on Wednesday (Jan. 25), and will begin serving in the cabinet from next week, reported UDN.

Lin Yu-chang served eight years as mayor of Keelung, maintaining around 80% approval throughout his tenure. He stepped down in December 2022 after reaching his term limit, handing over the office to the KMT’s Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑). Following the announcement, Hsieh congratulated him on his new position, saying that he looks forward to working with him.

During his time as Keelung mayor, Lin is credited with revitalizing the city, including making substantial investments in port infrastructure and improving the overall cleanliness of the municipality. With his relative popularity, along with his background in architecture and urban planning, Tsai Ing-wen reportedly trusts that he is well-suited for the position of Minister of the Interior.

Lin Yu-chang has a reputation as an eloquent speaker, and as a determined leader. He is also a trusted confidante of Tsai Ing-wen within the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). At only 51 years old, his appointment as a cabinet minister is likely to strengthen his resume for future leadership positions in the central government.