President Chen Shui-bian has approved an unprecedented major shake-up in the military, which will have the commander-in-chiefs of the army, navy, and air force replaced at the same.
The major shake-up will see Gen. Hu Chen-pu, head of the Defense Ministry's political warfare department, become army commander-in-chief, according to a statement from the military yesterday.

Adm. Lin Chen-yi, deputy chief of the navy's general staff, will head the navy.

Lt. Gen. Shen Kuo-chen, the air force deputy commander-in-chief, was appointed to head the air force, the statement said.

The statement said the appointments were approved by President Chen, the supreme commander of Taiwan's armed forces.

The incumbent army commander-in-chief, Gen. Chu Kai-sheng, replaced one of the vice defense ministers, Houh Shoou-yeh, who will become a military strategy adviser to the president.

The incumbent commanders-in-chief of navy and air force, Adm. Chen Pang-chih and Gen. Liu Kuei-li respectively, will also become strategy advisers to the president, the statement said.

It is the first time in Taiwan's history that all the three commanders-in-chief will be replaced at the same time.

The appointments, to take effect on Feb. 16, were greeted with sharp criticism from opposition lawmakers.

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