Joseph Wu
Encyclopedia
Joseph Wu Chao-hsieh was formerly the chief representative of the Republic of China
(Taiwan) to the United States as the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
in Washington, D.C.. He was appointed to that position in mid-April 2007 by President
Chen Shui-bian
to succeed his predecessor, David Lee
.
, finishing his PhD in political science in 1989 at Ohio State University
. He wrote papers critical of the PRC while in the United States. He served as a teacher and research assistant
in the political science
department of Ohio State University
in the United States, and as deputy director of the Institute of International Relations
of National Chengchi University
in Taiwan.
, Wu was appointed the chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council
of the Republic of China
(Taiwan
), the body charged with coordinating relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC), by Chen in May 2004.
His appointment as Chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council proved somewhat controversial due to his reputation as a supporter of Taiwan independence
, especially in light of the simultaneous appointment as foreign minister of former independence activist Mark Chen
. Wu was the only non-Kuomintang
representative of the ROC to the United States.
His tenure as head of TECRO lasted one year and three months.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan) to the United States as the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
A Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office , sometimes known as a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office or a Taipei Representative Office , is a representative office, established by the Republic of China in countries that have diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China...
in Washington, D.C.. He was appointed to that position in mid-April 2007 by President
President of the Republic of China
The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
to succeed his predecessor, David Lee
David Lee (politician)
David Lee Ta-wei is the current head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada. He is the former head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, DC, and as such, was the de facto Republic of China ambassador to the United States...
.
Educational background
Prior to entering politics, he was an academic political scientistPolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, finishing his PhD in political science in 1989 at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. He wrote papers critical of the PRC while in the United States. He served as a teacher and research assistant
Research assistant
A research assistant is a researcher employed, often on a temporary contract, by a university or a research institute, for the purpose of assisting in academic research...
in the political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
department of Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in the United States, and as deputy director of the Institute of International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
of National Chengchi University
National Chengchi University
National Chengchi University is a prestigious public university at Muzha in Wenshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan. It is well-known for its concentration on the social sciences, law, commerce, communication, liberal arts and for its MBA programs....
in Taiwan.
Rise in politics
Formerly the Deputy Secretary General of the Presidential Office for President Chen Shui-bianChen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
, Wu was appointed the chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council
Mainland Affairs Council
The Mainland Affairs Council is a cabinet-level administrative agency under the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China. The MAC is responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of policies between the Free Area of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, and the People's...
of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
), the body charged with coordinating relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC), by Chen in May 2004.
His appointment as Chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council proved somewhat controversial due to his reputation as a supporter of Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence is a political movement whose goals are primarily to formally establish the Republic of Taiwan by renaming or replacing the Republic of China , form a Taiwanese national identity, reject unification and One country, two systems with the People's Republic of China and a Chinese...
, especially in light of the simultaneous appointment as foreign minister of former independence activist Mark Chen
Mark Chen
Mark Chen Tang-shan , born September 16, 1935, in Tainan County , Taiwan, is a Taiwanese politician, former Secretary-General of the Office of the President of the Republic of China under ex-President Chen Shui-bian. He was also previously Foreign Minister of the ROC from 2004 to 2006...
. Wu was the only non-Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
representative of the ROC to the United States.
His tenure as head of TECRO lasted one year and three months.