Predictably, politicians were split along cross-party lines over the appointment.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (
Wu had lost the objectivity he used to have when in National Chengchi University's Institute of International Relations and had become a "rigid" bureaucrat and a lackey steeped in "deep [pan-]green ideology" ever since joining the council, Lin said.
KMT Legislator Su Chi (蘇起) said that the appointment, together with the president's recent personal shuffle, signified that Chen will take a radical approach to relations between Taiwan, China and the US for the remainder of his tenure.
But the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) caucus saw the change in a positive light.
TSU caucus whip Yin Ling-ying (
Although Lee is an excellent diplomat, his party affiliation might have prevented him from properly conveying Chen's ideas to the US government, she said.
Lee, however, expressed no regrets at the decision to replace him after less than three years in the post, and said he feels relations between Taiwan and the US are much better than they were when he took over in July 2004.
In an telephone interview with the Taipei Times Lee said that he was not disappointed by change.
"I think it's a good time for me to depart. Both my wife and myself are very happy to leave this position at this juncture," Lee said en route to a flight to Dallas, where he was to meet Huang.
Lee said he felt that he accomplished one of the two major goals he set for himself when he arrived to Washington -- to improve communications with the US.
As for the second goal, restoring bilateral trust, he said there is still work to be done, adding that US-Taiwan relations were "stable"
Huang was in Dallas for a conference of Taiwanese-American businessmen. It was not clear whether his trip was timed to coincide with the announcement of Wu's appointment, but the issue is certain to be discussed between Lee and Huang during the day.
Lee thanked the staff at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office who "worked hard with me" over his term, and his wife, who "played a wonderful role as an ambassador's wife in Washington."
In other developments, speculation mounted that former council vice chairman Chen Ming-tong (
"I'm preoccupied with the forum on constitutional reform and don't have time to think about the issue," he said.
Chen Ming-tong is one of the authors of the draft of the "Second Republic" constitution that was made public yesterday.
In related news from the ministry, Kenneth Liao (廖港民), director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, will now lead the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, taking over from Andrew Hsia (夏立言), who is being transferred to India.
Kung Chung-cheng (龔中誠), deputy director of the Department of North American Affairs, will move to Canada to take over director of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver.
Additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan and Flora Wang
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