Former Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan named SEF chairman

Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) Former Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) has been appointed by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) as chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), according to the Presidential Office on Tuesday.

The appointment was made public in a news statement issued by the Presidential Office on Tuesday evening. Su had long been widely tipped for the post after his predecessor, Frank Wu (吳豊山), announced his resignation on Dec. 18.

The SEF is a semi-official organization tasked by Taiwan's government with handling matters involving Taiwanese people visiting, living in, or doing business with China, as well as exchanges between the two sides.

Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said in the statement that Lai invited Su to take the post, citing his "extensive political experience and successful track record in international exchanges."

Kuo said Lai also expressed hope that Su will strengthen SEF's operations and help promote "positive and healthy" cross-strait exchanges.

Apart from serving as Legislative Speaker, Su, a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has previously served in posts including legislator, Pingtung County magistrate, interior minister, and secretary-general to the president, according to the statement.

Su most recently served for more than three years as chairman of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association, which represents Taipei's interests in Tokyo in the absence of diplomatic ties. He was succeeded in the role on Jan. 6 by Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), Taiwan's former representative to Japan.

It was not immediately clear when Su will officially assume the post, as the statement did not specify the effective date of the appointment, and the SEF's website had not yet listed the 69-year-old as chairman as of press time.

Wu served until Dec. 31, 2025, leaving the foundation without a chairman since then.