Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou announces partial cabinet shake-up

Taiwan’s president has put two of his confidants in charge of the island’s relations with the United States and the mainland as part of a partial cabinet shake-up.

President Ma Ying-jeou’s office said on Thursday that Wang Yu-chi will head the Mainland Affairs Council and King Pu-tsung will be the island’s new envoy to the United States.

Wang is a National Security Council adviser and King a veteran campaign strategist for the ruling Nationalists.

Re-elected in January, Ma has faced increasing public complaints that he has failed to improve the sluggish economy.

Analysts say Ma needs to follow up with a larger cabinet shake-up to build confidence in his ability to resolve unemployment and other economic problems.