Taiwan is quite unique here, because I’m a double appointee. The people’s general election elects the president, who appoints the premier. Our premier, Su Tseng-chang, is now exactly three years in the premier position — so a very stable premier and cabinet. And then the premier appoints us as ministers. So basically, I’m kind of an at-large minister without a portfolio. We’ve got nine seats that work in an interagency fashion, and I think a supermajority of us are nonpartisan. Actually in the whole cabinet, including other ministers, there’s more independent nonpartisan people than people of any party. And that’s only possible if you have this kind of double-appointee system.

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