Executive Yuan

The Executive Yuan is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China, known commonly as Taiwan. It helps run the country by making and enforcing laws and managing daily operations.

The Executive Yuan was founded in 1928. Under the amended constitution, the head of the Executive Yuan is the Premier, who serves as the head of government. The Premier can choose members to join the cabinet to help with different areas of government work.

Meanwhile, the ROC President serves as the head of state under the semi-presidential system. The President can choose the Premier and suggest members for the cabinet. If the Legislative Yuan votes to remove the Premier, the President can either remove the Premier or call for new elections for the Legislative Yuan members.

Organization and structure

The Executive Yuan is led by the Premier. It also has a Vice Premier, fourteen cabinet ministers, and leaders of different groups. The President of the Republic of China picks the Vice Premier, ministers, and leaders using the Premier's suggestions.

The Executive Yuan is one of the government's five main parts. It started because of the Three Principles of the People by Sun Yat-sen. Its rules have changed over time to work better under the Constitution of the Republic of China.

Members

The Executive Yuan has many important people who help run the government. The leader is called the Premier. The President chooses the Premier, and the Premier can pick other leaders to help.

There are different groups and offices that work under the Executive Yuan. Some of these groups have their own leaders who stay the same, even if the Premier changes.

Other roles

Organizations no longer under Executive Yuan

Some groups that used to work with the Executive Yuan are no longer part of it. These changes happened over several years.

Here are some of the groups that are no longer under the Executive Yuan:

• Consumer Protection Commission became the Consumer Protection Committee on January 1, 2012
• Aviation Safety Council became its own agency on May 20, 2012, and was later renamed the Taiwan Transportation Safety Board
• National Disaster Prevention and Protection Commission changed to the Office of Disaster Management on February 1, 2010
• National Youth Commission moved to the Ministry of Education as the Youth Development Administration on January 1, 2013
• Sports Affairs Council moved to the Ministry of Education as the Sports Administration on January 1, 2013
• Coast Guard Administration moved to the Ocean Affairs Council on April 28, 2018
• Atomic Energy Council became the Nuclear Safety Commission on September 27, 2023

Some groups stopped working completely:

• Government Information Office ended on May 20, 2012
• Council for Economic Planning and Development ended on January 21, 2014
• Research, Development and Evaluation Commission ended on January 21, 2014
• Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission ended on September 15, 2017

Executive Yuan Council

The Executive Yuan Council, often called "The Cabinet," is the main group that makes big decisions for the government of Taiwan. It includes the premier, who leads the meetings, a vice premier, ministers, and leaders of special commissions. Other important people can join the meetings but do not get to vote.

The Constitution allows this council to review important laws and budgets before they are sent to the Legislative Yuan for final approval.

Relationship with the Legislative Yuan

The Executive Yuan Council works closely with the Legislative Yuan. Each year, the Executive Yuan gives Legislators a policy statement and a report about how things are going. The Legislative Committee can ask members of the Executive Yuan questions.

If there is a disagreement, the Legislative Committee can pass a resolution asking the Executive Yuan to change a plan. The Executive Yuan can ask them to reconsider. If the Legislative Committee keeps its decision, the premier must follow it or leave the job. The Executive Yuan can also suggest a new budget if the one approved seems hard to use.

Executive Yuan Building

The Executive Yuan Building was built in 1940 as the new city hall for Taipei. After Taiwan was handed over to the Republic of China in 1945, the city hall moved, and this building became home to the provincial government. In 1957, it became the Executive Yuan building.

Today, the Executive Yuan building is open to visitors. You can reach it on foot from Taipei Main Station or Shandao Temple Station on the Taipei Metro.