Taiwan cabinet in mass resignation

Chen is expected to name his chief of staff Yu Shyi-kun as the next premier

TAIPEI, Taiwan (Reuters) -- Taiwan's cabinet has resigned en masse to pave the way for a post-election cabinet reshuffle.

Premier Chang Chun-hsiung, who took office in October 2000, and members of his cabinet tendered their resignations Monday to allow President Chen Shui-bian to name a new premier following the Democratic Progressive Party's impressive gains in the December 1 parliamentary elections.

Chen is expected to name his chief of staff Yu Shyi-kun as the next premier at a news conference at noon Monday, according to local media. The reshuffle is expected to herald little change in government policy.

Yu will form a new cabinet after consulting Chen. Several members of the outgoing cabinet are expected to be retained, media said.

In Taiwan's political system, similar to the French, the president is the head of state and armed forces chief, and appoints the premier who heads the cabinet and runs day-to-day affairs of government.

It was unclear how China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province, will react to the reshuffle.

Taiwan joined the WTO on January 1, marking the end to a 12-year quest for the island, the world's 14th largest trading economy.

It became the WTO's 144th member as the customs territory of "Chinese Taipei," adhering to Beijing's wishes.

Taiwan calls itself the Republic of China. But China has done its best to restrict Taiwan's efforts to claim recognition as an independent country.