Presidential aide Lin Chia-lung tipped to be Taiwan's new foreign minister

04/11/2024 05:35 PM

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Presidential aide and former Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung speaks at the opening of the Smart City Summit & Expo in Taipei on March 19, 2024. CNA file photo

Taipei, April 11 (CNA) Presidential aide and former Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is tipped to be Taiwan's next foreign minister, replacing Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), a source with knowledge of the matter told CNA Thursday.

It was reported in the local media that President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) met with Lin, secretary-general to the President, on Thursday, during which Lin agreed to take up the post of foreign minister.

A source close to Lin confirmed to CNA that "there was a meeting and Lin had agreed to become foreign minister," but the appointment is pending formal announcement.

Lin is expected to take up the post after Lai and Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) assume office on May 20, following their win in January's presidential election. Lai announced Wednesday that former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) will be the premier in his administration.

Lin, 60, has been serving as secretary-general at the Presidential Office since January 2023, after he lost his bid to unseat New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) in late 2022.

Vice President Lai Ching-te (front, in suit) campaigns for Lin Chia-lung (front, in gray jacket) in New Taipei the night before the polling day of the 2022 local government elections on Nov. 25, 2022. CNA file photo

Before Lin was appointed as an aide to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), he was ambassador-at-large in charge of Taiwan's digital New Southbound Policy initiatives, which were introduced by Tsai to enhance trade and exchanges between Taiwan and 18 countries in Southeast and South Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

A graduate of National Taiwan University, Lin also attended Yale University from 1991-1994 on a Fulbright scholarship, earning master's degrees in philosophy and political science, as well as a PhD in political science.

He returned to Taiwan to teach in the political science department at National Chung Cheng University in Chiayi from 1999-2004.

Alongside that, Lin began his political career in the early 2000s, serving in various positions in the administration of then President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), including an advisor to the National Security Council and Cabinet spokesman.

He also served as secretary-general of the DPP and as deputy secretary-general at the Presidential Office during Chen's presidency.

Lin was later elected as a DPP lawmaker in Taichung for one term, and he won the mayoral election in that city in 2014.

After failing to secure a second term as mayor in 2018, Lin was appointed as transportation minister the following year, but he resigned from that post in 2021 in the wake of a deadly Taroko Express train crash, which killed 49 people and injured at least 200 others.

Lin will take over the foreign minister post from Joseph Wu, the longest serving foreign minister in Taiwan since the country's first direct presidential election in 1996.

More Cabinet picks are expected to be announced in the coming days.

(By Yeh Su-ping, Joseph Yeh and Elaine Hou)

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