Finance veteran to be Taiwan’s next premier – reports

TAIPEI – Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has picked a former top financial regulator as his next premier, the state news agency and several other media reported over the weekend.

The appointment of 62-year-old Sean Chen, currently deputy premier, is likely to be made public on Tuesday, the Central News Agency said, citing an unnamed senior member of Ma’s Kuomintang party.

“I’m not in a position to confirm this,” said a spokesman for Ma’s office. “There may be some news on Tuesday.”

Ma was re-elected for a second and final four-year term earlier this month, having picked incumbent Premier Wu Den-yih as his running mate.

Chen took over as chairman of the powerful Financial Supervisory Commission in late 2008 and is credited with playing a key role in helping the island weather the global financial crisis erupting that year.