Premier Lai Ching-te (left) and Su Tseng-chang; photo courtesy of CNA
Taipei, Sept. 10 (CNA) Premier Lai Ching-te met Sunday with Su Tseng-chang and Yu Shyi-kun, who both served as premier under a former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, to draw on their experience.
Lai said Su advised him to lay out policy directions, give priority to economic development, and focus on law and order, particularly on efforts to wipe out drug crime.
Su talked about the steps he took to maintain social order and crack down on drug crime when he was premier and also when he served as magistrate of Taipei County, now New Taipei City, Lai said.
Su also pledged his full support and promised to seek public backing for the new premier's efforts to create a better future for Taiwan, Lai said.
In the meeting with Yu, the discussion was similar, Lai said, adding that he was advised to give top priority to economic growth. Yu also said great prominence should be given to Taiwan's cultural identity, Lai said.
During the one-hour closed door meeting, Yu also addressed media speculations that he had been trying to block Lai's recent appointment as head of the Cabinet, the premier said.
Yu said when he made the suggestion that Lai should run for mayor of New Taipei in 2018, he was unaware that President Tsai Ing-wen's planned to name Lai as head of the Cabinet, according to the premier.
Yu said it was a good decision by the president because Lai, who was mayor of Tainan at the time, was seen as highly capable, the premier related.
Asked whether he would meet with former premiers who served under the administration of former President Ma Ying-jeou between 2008 and 2016, Lai said he would certainly do so if given the opportunity.
Following his two one-hour closed door meetings with Su and Yu, the premier is scheduled to meet soon with Legislative Yuan Speaker Su Jia-chyuan and all the legislative caucuses to discuss tax reform and cross-strait issues.
However, Lai has no plans to meet with the chairmen of the opposition parties, according to a United Evening News report that cited Cabinet spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung.
