Lo has found his connections with the region's top-ranking officials and academics useful in his current job.
"In the past, I met a lot of Japanese officials at the ministerial and legislative levels who were participating in UN-related activities. This was not limited to Japan. I was quite exposed to many parts of Asia," said Lo, who used to advise the governments of Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines on development issues.
His personal networks established throughout the years seem to have yielded dividends for Taiwan. His alma mater, Waseda University, will in April begin a course on Taiwan for graduate students, a course for which Lo's office in Japan has lobbied. Lo has given lectures at Waseda University over the years since he first received his master's degree.
As a member of the World United Formosans for Independence (WUFI) since 1970, previously a US-based organization supporting Taiwan independence, Lo found it impossible to reject President Chen Shui-bian's (
"President Chen wanted me to do this job, so I felt I should definitely support him," Lo said. "Right now I have to represent my country's interests. Previously, I was just doing my job as an international civil servant."
Lo is not the only dissident on the diplomatic front line. Others include Lee Ying-yuan (
"I cooked for him [Chen] when he first came to the University of Pennsylvania in 1963," Lo recalled on Thursday evening before attending a farewell party for his old friend who will leave for his new post this month.
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