TAIPEI, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has appointed Tainan city mayor William Lai as premier, the presidential office said on Tuesday, a widely expected choice that signals a course correction by a president facing declining public support.

Lai's appointment comes one day after the president accepted the resignation of Lin Chuan, who had served as premier since the president took office in May 2016.

An administrative reshuffle to replace the premier has been anticipated for months as the president's approval ratings have dropped considerably since her inauguration, falling below 30 percent as of August, according to a private foundation survey. (Reporting by Faith Hung; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)</s>TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Taiwan's premier tendered his resignation on Monday, raising the possibility of changes in the island's troubled relationship with mainland China.

The Presidential Office said on its website that President Tsai Ing-wen reluctantly accepted Lin Chuan's decision to resign after more than a year in office.

Tsai is to announce a successor on Tuesday, with the official Central News Agency saying her pick will be William Lai, mayor of the southern city of Tainan.

Though described as a supporter of Taiwanese independence, Lai suggested seeking common ground with China earlier in the year and said the ruling Democratic Progressive Party should approach Beijing with confidence.

China cut off contacts with Tsai's government more than a year ago because of her refusal to endorse Beijing's view that Taiwan is a part of China. The sides separated amid civil war in 1949 and China continues to threaten force to gain control over the island of 23 million people.

Government surveys since 2014 have found at least 70 percent of Taiwanese prefer autonomy from the Communist government in Beijing.

Tsai's popularity rating dipped to 33 percent in June partly over perceptions she had failed to manage foreign relations under pressure from China, which uses its economic power and global diplomatic clout to marginalize the island. Taiwan has lost two diplomatic allies to China in Tsai's term to date.

At the same time, China is Taiwan's top trading partner, with imports and exports totaling $118 billion last year and billions of dollars invested by Taiwanese in the mainland since the 1990s.

Tainan city news department director Hsu Shu-fen declined to say whether Lai wanted the premier's job, calling word about his appointment "news that hasn't taken place yet."

Lin had suffered from low popularity, with the independent Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation putting his approval rating at 28.7 percent in May. Taiwan's high-tech, export-driven economy has suffered in recent years from low growth and stagnant wages, particularly among young people.

Lin said at a news conference on Monday that he had asked the president in June to replace him before the 2018 elections so he could avoid getting involved in political issues.

"These aren't things that fall within my interests," he said.

Lin was hired as a "transitional figure" and had done all he could given his limited political contacts, said Raymond Wu, managing director of Taipei-based political risk consultancy e-telligence. He oversaw pension reform, despite staunch opposition from government employees, and saw through the approval this year of a $13.9 billion plan to build infrastructure such as commuter railways and irrigation projects.

"He's not really all that well connected in the Democratic Progressive Party," Wu said. "He has fulfilled what he needed to get done."</s>TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Taiwan's president on Tuesday appointed a new premier seen as willing to reach out to rival China amid ongoing tense relations between the two sides.

President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday named William Lai to head up the government following the resignation Monday of Lin Chuan. Lin had asked to leave the post before local elections next year added an unwanted political element to his work.

The smooth transfer of office "represents that there is absolutely no problem with the communication and handing over of the functions within the Cabinet," Tsai told reporters at a news conference attended by both Lin and

"All the reform projects will be handed over and carried on," Tsai said.

Lai, a 57-year-old physician, served for 11 years in the legislature and since 2010 has been mayor of the southern city of Tainan.

China cut off all contacts with Tsai's government more than a year ago after she refused to endorse Beijing's position that Taiwan is Chinese territory.

Over the past year, China has persuaded two of Taiwan's diplomatic allies to switch sides as it ratchets up its diplomatic and economic pressure on Tsai's administration. China has refused to renounce using force to gain control over Taiwan if it were deemed necessary.

Despite concerns over China, Tsai said in her remarks that she expected the government's emphasis to remain on transforming the economy to boost innovation and create well-paying high-tech jobs.</s>TAIPEI: Taiwan has appointed as premier William Lai, the mayor of its southern city of Tainan, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday (Sep 5), as she moved to shore up declining public support.

A reshuffle to replace the premier had been anticipated for months as Tsai's approval ratings dropped below 30 per cent by August, a private foundation survey showed, from nearly 70 per cent soon after her 2016 inauguration.

"We have a clear direction for our reforms," Tsai told a news briefing. "Premier Lai will lead the administrative team, iron out any problems, and take us forward."

Lai's appointment comes a day after the resignation of Lin Chuan, the premier since Tsai took office in May 2016.

Frozen ties with China, a massive power outage in the tech hub for Apple Inc and other global firms, a backlash over pension reforms and a revised labour rule, are among the controversies that put pressure on Tsai to replace Lin, as she prepares for her 2020 re-election campaign.

Lai, a Harvard graduate, was a lawmaker for four consecutive terms and a whip of Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus before becoming in 2010 the mayor of Tainan, home to the plants of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) and other technology firms.

"I'll redouble our efforts to reform and transform, for the benefit of the people of Taiwan," Lai said.

However, Lai's premiership would not necessarily help the president improve her ratings, some analysts have said.</s>TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s premier tendered his resignation on Monday, raising the possibility of changes in the island’s troubled relationship with mainland China.

The Presidential Office said on its website that President Tsai Ing-wen reluctantly accepted Lin Chuan’s decision to resign after more than a year in office.

Tsai is to announce a successor on Tuesday, with the official Central News Agency saying her pick will be William Lai, mayor of the southern city of Tainan.

Though described as a supporter of Taiwanese independence, Lai suggested seeking common ground with China earlier in the year and said the ruling Democratic Progressive Party should approach Beijing with confidence.

China cut off contacts with Tsai’s government more than a year ago because of her refusal to endorse Beijing’s view that Taiwan is a part of China. The sides separated amid civil war in 1949 and China continues to threaten force to gain control over the island of 23 million people.

Government surveys since 2014 have found at least 70 percent of Taiwanese prefer autonomy from the Communist government in Beijing.

Tsai’s popularity rating dipped to 33 percent in June partly over perceptions she had failed to manage foreign relations under pressure from China, which uses its economic power and global diplomatic clout to marginalize the island. Taiwan has lost two diplomatic allies to China in Tsai’s term to date.

At the same time, China is Taiwan’s top trading partner, with imports and exports totaling $118 billion last year and billions of dollars invested by Taiwanese in the mainland since the 1990s.

Tainan city news department director Hsu Shu-fen declined to say whether Lai wanted the premier’s job, calling word about his appointment “news that hasn’t taken place yet.”

Lin had suffered from low popularity, with the independent Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation putting his approval rating at 28.7 percent in May. Taiwan’s high-tech, export-driven economy has suffered in recent years from low growth and stagnant wages, particularly among young people.

Lin said at a news conference on Monday that he had asked the president in June to replace him before the 2018 elections so he could avoid getting involved in political issues.

“These aren’t things that fall within my interests,” he said.

Lin was hired as a “transitional figure” and had done all he could given his limited political contacts, said Raymond Wu, managing director of Taipei-based political risk consultancy e-telligence. He oversaw pension reform, despite staunch opposition from government employees, and saw through the approval this year of a $13.9 billion plan to build infrastructure such as commuter railways and irrigation projects.

“He’s not really all that well connected in the Democratic Progressive Party,” Wu said. “He has fulfilled what he needed to get done.”</s>TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's premier tendered his resignation on Monday, raising the possibility of changes in the island's troubled relationship with mainland China.

The Presidential Office said on its that President Tsai Ing-wen reluctantly accepted Lin Chuan's decision to resign after more than a year in office.

Tsai is to announce a successor on Tuesday, with the official Central News Agency saying her pick will be William Lai, mayor of the southern city of Tainan.

Though described as a supporter of Taiwanese independence, Lai suggested seeking common ground with China earlier in the year and said the ruling Democratic Progressive Party should approach Beijing with confidence.

China cut off contacts with Tsai's government more than a year ago because of her refusal to endorse Beijing's view that Taiwan is a part of China. The sides separated amid civil war in 1949 and China continues to threaten force to gain control over the island of 23 million people.

Government surveys since 2014 have found at least 70 of Taiwanese prefer autonomy from the Communist government in Beijing.

Tsai's popularity rating dipped to 33 in June partly over perceptions she had failed to manage foreign relations under pressure from China, which uses its economic power and global diplomatic clout to marginalize the island. Taiwan has lost two diplomatic allies to China in Tsai's term to date.

At the same time, China is Taiwan's top trading partner, with imports and exports $118 billion last year and billions of dollars invested by Taiwanese in the mainland since the 1990s.

Tainan city news department director Hsu Shu-fen declined to say whether Lai wanted the premier's job, calling word about his appointment "news that hasn't taken place yet."

Lin had suffered from low popularity, with the independent Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation putting his approval rating at 28.7 in May. Taiwan's high-tech, export-driven economy has suffered in recent years from low growth and stagnant wages, particularly among young people.

Lin said at a news conference on Monday that he had asked the president in June to replace him before the 2018 elections so he could avoid getting involved in political issues.

Lin was hired as a "transitional figure" and had done all he could given his limited political contacts, said Raymond Wu, managing director of Taipei-based political risk consultancy e-telligence. He oversaw pension reform, despite staunch opposition from government employees, and saw through the approval this year of a $13.9 billion plan to build infrastructure such as commuter railways and irrigation projects.

"He's not really all that well connected in the Democratic Progressive Party," Wu said. "He has fulfilled what he needed to get done."</s>TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s president on Tuesday appointed a new premier seen as willing to reach out to rival China amid ongoing tense relations between the two sides.

President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday named William Lai to head up the government following the resignation Monday of Lin Chuan. Lin had asked to leave the post before local elections next year added an unwanted political element to his work.

The smooth transfer of office “represents that there is absolutely no problem with the communication and handing over of the functions within the Cabinet,” Tsai told reporters at a news conference attended by both Lin and

“All the reform projects will be handed over and carried on,” Tsai said.

Lai, a 57-year-old physician, served for 11 years in the legislature and since 2010 has been mayor of the southern city of Tainan.

China cut off all contacts with Tsai’s government more than a year ago after she refused to endorse Beijing’s position that Taiwan is Chinese territory.

Over the past year, China has persuaded two of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to switch sides as it ratchets up its diplomatic and economic pressure on Tsai’s administration. China has refused to renounce using force to gain control over Taiwan if it were deemed necessary.

Despite concerns over China, Tsai said in her remarks that she expected the government’s emphasis to remain on transforming the economy to boost innovation and create well-paying high-tech jobs.</s>Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen named a staunchly pro-independence city mayor as her new premier Tuesday in a move which some analysts said would rile China.

China still sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory, even though they split almost 70 years ago, and despite being a fully-fledged democracy the island has never declared a formal split from the mainland.

Beijing has said that any Taiwanese move towards a declaration of independence would prompt a military response.

New premier William Lai is currently mayor of the southern city of Tainan, a stronghold of Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The doctor-turned-lawmaker has repeatedly stated his support for Taiwan's independence in media interviews and city council meetings.

His appointment could further sour relations between Beijing and Taipei.

Chinese authorities cut official communications with Taiwan after Tsai took office in May last year, because she refused to acknowledge the island is part of "one China" -- unlike her Beijing-friendly predecessor Ma Ying-jeou.

Beijing is highly suspicious of Tsai and the DPP, which is traditionally pro-independence.

"To Beijing, Lai's appointment is one more unfriendly gesture by Tsai's government and adds to the proof that she is not keen to improve cross-strait ties," said Yang Kai-huang, a cross-strait expert in Ming Chuan University.

Tsai said she hoped Lai would deliver "good results" and praised him for being in tune with public opinion.

Lai will take up the position Friday after Tsai Monday accepted the resignation of unpopular premier Lin Chuan, a move seen as an attempt to revive dwindling public support for her administration.

The government's popularity has been hit by a series of controversial policies, ranging from holiday cuts to pension reforms, as well as by worsening relations with China.

Harvard-educated Lai has won praise for his efficient management of Tainan, including his handling of the aftermath of an earthquake in 2016 that killed 116 people.

Earlier this year he seemed to temper his pro-independence message by saying he defined relations between Taiwan and China as "between friends", but he still regularly advocates a split.

"I will shoulder the responsibilities to continue to deepen Taiwan's reforms and transformations," he told reporters Tuesday.

Lin's cabinet is set to resign en masse on Thursday in a formality which takes place after a premier steps down. It is not immediately clear how many ministers will be replaced.

Tsai's popularity has dropped from a high of nearly 70 percent when she came to power last year to below 30 percent in a number of recent polls, with some in the DPP blaming Lin for dragging down her support.</s>TAIPEI: Taiwan’s Premier Lin Chuan resigned on Monday in a move aimed at reviving dwindling public support for the government of President Tsai Ing-wen.

Tsai’s office announced in a statement that Lin offered his resignation on Sunday, saying that he had “accomplished his periodic tasks”, and it was approved by the president.

Speculation had been rife that Lin would be replaced. The government’s popularity has been hit by a series of controversial policies, ranging from holiday cuts to pension reforms, as well as by worsening relations with China.

Beijing has cut all official communication with Tsai’s government since she took office in May last year. Her Democratic Progressive Party is traditionally independence-leaning and has refused officially to accept that Taiwan is part of “one China”.

Tsai’s popularity has dropped from a high of nearly 70 percent when she took power to below 30 percent in several recent polls, with some in the DPP blaming the unpopular premier for dragging down her support.

In a TVBS poll released last month, Lin’s support fell to a record low of 18 percent, while 44 percent said he should be replaced against 26 percent who said he should stay.

“I am happy that somebody will take over the heavy burden and I’m grateful that somebody is willing to do that… I’ll accept the criticisms that are reasonable,” Lin told reporters when asked about his low public support.

Lin, an economist and former finance minister, was rumored to become the next governor of Taiwan’s central bank. But he said Monday that he has no plans to take any government post in the future.

His replacement will be announced on Tuesday. There has been widespread speculation that the popular mayor of the southern city of Tainan, William Lai, will take over.

The Harvard-educated Lai has won praise for his efficient management of the city, including his handling of the aftermath of an earthquake in 2016 that killed 116 people.

The cabinet is set to resign en masse in a formality on Thursday after the premier steps down. It is not immediately clear how many ministers will be replaced. AFP</s>The resignation of Taiwan's premier has raised the possibility of changes in the island's troubled relationship with mainland China.

The Presidential Office said on its website Monday that President Tsai Ing-wen had reluctantly accepted Lin Chuan's resignation.

Tsai is to announce a successor on Tuesday, with the official Central News Agency saying her pick will be William Lai, mayor of the southern city of Tainan who has advocated seeking common ground with China.

China cut off contacts with Tsai's government more than a year ago because of her refusal to endorse Beijing's view that Taiwan is a part of China. The sides separated amid civil war in 1949 and China continues to threaten force to gain control over the island of 23 million people.
Tainan Mayor William Lai Ching-te is appointed as the new Premier by the President of the Republic of China Tsai Ing-wen.