"But it is obvious that there is a serious schism between the two heads of the state, and these frayed relations are not due to her gender, but her character," Chin said.
Rising to prominence in Taiwan last May, Lu fought her way to the top mostly on her own.
Most political commentators have a high opinion of Lu's intelligence and ability to fill a leadership role. But they also see her as obstinate, self-centered and, most important of all, reluctant to play second fiddle.
"The problem isn't her ability -- she is brilliant in her own right. But she is not a team player; she only pushes her own agenda. Intractable and egocentric, she is very difficult to get along with," said the Presidential Office official.
Chang Fu-mei (張富美), a long-time friend of Lu and chairperson of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, gave the vice president her advice.
"To obtain more power, [Lu] had better first win the trust of President Chen through communication -- not by being outspoken, but by being polite," Chang suggested.
"It is a basic courtesy for partners to inform each other about what's going on in each other's domain, and it is important [for Lu] to keep tabs on her every single word to prevent the media from exaggerating or misinterpreting her utterances," Chang said.
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