Upon being officially appointed as Minister of Culture, Lee Yung-te (李永得) took over the position from his predecessor Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) on May 20. At the handover ceremony overseen by Minister-without-portfolio Lin Wan-i (林萬億), the new Minister pledged to lead with his utmost devotion and sincerity. With the groundwork laid by Cheng, Taiwan's burgeoning culture blooming with diversity will only grow stronger, Lee stated.
On behalf of the Executive Yuan, Taiwan's highest executive body, Lin thanked Cheng for her unyielding efforts in planning and implementing a number of cultural policies during her tenure as Minister of Culture. "There has been significant progress and her achievements are remarkable," Lin said.
With Lee's rich experience in the media and his long term involvement in promoting Taiwan's culture, the visibility and profile of Hakka culture has been greatly enhanced on a global scale during Lee's tenure as Minister of Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) from 2016 to 2020, Lin added.
In her farewell speech, Cheng said the Ministry is grateful for all the help received over the past four years that made cultural governance possible. She also expressed her gratitude to everyone who has been cultivating the arts and cultural sector, and reiterated her unwavering commitment towards the preservation and promotion of Taiwan's culture.
Acknowledging Lee's years-long endeavors in bringing forth a new Hakka renaissance, Cheng said it is a great honor for her to hand over the position to Lee and she believes that under the leadership of her successor, the liveliness and richness of Taiwan's culture will continue to flourish.
Speaking of his eight years at HAC, Lee said those were some of the most glorious periods in his life as he had the opportunity to serve his own ethnic community. While thanking his colleagues from the council for their efforts in fostering a greater public appreciation for Hakka culture, Lee said the new HAC Minister Yiong Con-ziin (楊長鎮), formerly HAC's Deputy Minister, will surely carry out his duties in the best way possible.
Lee also spoke of an overwhelming sense of reverence and awe at the idea of taking over the position, as the Ministry has achieved much under Cheng's guidance. He cited the passages of the "Cultural Fundamental Act (文化基本法)," the "Development of National Languages Act (國家語言發展法)," and the "Establishment Act for the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (國家電影及視聽文化中心設置條例)," among other highly recognized accomplishments.
With the nation's cultural governance guided by Cheng's vision and philosophy, a solid foundation for Taiwan's cultural development has been established, Lee noted. "A flourishing path for culture has been paved, a comprehensive framework for cultural governance is also in place; with such a fertile environment, all we have to do is gallop steadily down this road and we will reach the finish line. Through joint efforts, Taiwan's cultural diversity will continue to prosper and blossom," the new Minister stated.
Read about his governing philosophy here.