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Taiwanese Government Spokesman Resigns Amid Election Defeat

18 January 2008

Two senior Taiwanese Cabinet ministers have offered to resign, following the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's defeat in legislative elections held last week.

Taiwan government spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey (file photo)
Taiwan government spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey (file photo)
Government Information Office chief Shieh Jhy-wey told reporters Friday
that he wanted to quit ahead of the Cabinet's planned mass resignation on January 28.

Media reports say Education Minister Tu Cheng-sheng has also offered to go as well.

In last week's elections, the opposition Nationalists won 81 of the 113 seats in Taiwan's legislature.

The Nationalists campaigned on a theme of improving ties with China and strengthening Taiwan's stagnant economy, which they blamed on President Chen Shu-bian's pro-independence stance.

China and Taiwan split in 1949 during the Chinese civil war, and Beijing regards the self-ruled island as part of its territory. China has threatened to use force if Taiwan takes steps towards formal independence.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

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