Taiwan appoints new premier

Taiwan names its top China negotiator, Chang Chun-hsiung as its new premier after Su Tseng-chang made a surprise announcement to step down over the weekend. Chang, who had been a premier before under the Chen administration, is chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation, a semi-official organisation that is in charge of negotiations with China. Chang's latest appointment comes at a time when the sharply divided parliament, of which opposition parties hold a slim majority, has yet to pass the government budget for 2007. The cabinet approved the budget months ago. A cabinet spokeswoman said the handover ceremony would likely take place on Wednesday (May 16) at the earliest.