▁He ▁was ▁the ▁K MT ▁vice - pres ident ial ▁candidate ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁on ▁the ▁ticket ▁of ▁L ien ▁Chan . ▁ ▁S iew ▁is ▁the ▁former ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Ch ung - H ua ▁Institution ▁for ▁Econom ic ▁Research ▁( S iew ▁submitted ▁his ▁res ignation ▁ 2 4 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁after ▁his ▁K MT ▁vice - pres ident ial ▁nom ination ) ▁and ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Cross - St ra its ▁Common ▁Market ▁Foundation . ▁He ▁res igned ▁as ▁K MT ▁vice ▁chairman ▁and ▁all ▁other ▁posts ▁in ▁the ▁party ▁before ▁the ▁legisl ative ▁election ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁critic ised ▁by ▁the ▁Pan - Blue ▁Co al ition ▁for ▁not ▁taking ▁a ▁greater ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁L ien - So ong ▁campaign ▁and ▁acting ▁as ▁conv ener ▁for ▁a ▁private ▁group ▁of ▁economic ▁advis ers ▁for ▁President ▁Chen ▁Sh ui - bian . ▁ ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Econom ic ▁Affairs ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁new ▁Premier ▁on ▁ 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁S iew ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Econom ic ▁Affairs . ▁His ▁appointment ▁came ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁problems ▁with ▁environment , ▁st agn ant ▁invest ment ▁and ▁slow ▁economic ▁growth . ▁Within ▁six ▁months , ▁he ▁managed ▁to ▁sett le ▁a ▁five - year ▁dispute ▁with ▁environmental ists ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁blocking ▁Chinese ▁Pet role um ▁Corporation ' s ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁fifth ▁nap