Having completed his trip to Shanghai yesterday, Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Hsin-yi (
"I am not entitled to give myself a grade here. Everyone has his or her subjective evaluation, but I've done my best. I've completed my task according to the government's original plan," Lin said in a composed manner, raising his thick black eyebrows.
But the 55-year-old businessman-turned-minister has tasted some ruthless criticism over his recent performance in Shanghai from a Presidential Office official, as a local media report on Thursday illustrated.
A report on Thursday in the Liberty Times blasted Lin, quoting officials in the Presidential Office who reportedly said he "lacked the discipline to obey orders" from above. The report also alleged that Lin failed to protest against China's degrading treatment of Taiwan. China, the host country of the the APEC trade ministers' meeting, failed to address Lin as a "minister" in his invitation.
However, the Presidential Office denied the report, and Lin said on Thursday morning in response to the report that he had indeed given a protest letter to his Chinese counterpart Shi Guangsheng (石廣生) during their bilateral talks on Tuesday as well as to other APEC trade ministers to safeguard Taiwan's "national dignity."
But the report had its impact on Lin.
"He felt surprised by the report, and found it [the allegation] incomprehensible," a close aide to Lin said.
But the minister soon regained his unruffled posture, according to Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Steve Chen (
"Anyone in his position would have felt upset, but he still pulled himself together," Chen said.
Indeed, Lin, who got an average of just four hours of sleep every day during his visit to Shanghai, exerted what Chen dubbed as "a spirit of persistence" to complete his task this week at APEC.
On the sidelines during APEC meetings, he held various bilateral talks with his counterparts, seeking their support for Taiwan's entry into the WTO. Amid the cross-strait standoff, he was assigned to express to his Chinese counterpart Taiwan's aspiration for resuming talks even though China has refused to sit down at the negotiating table.
Furthermore, over 50 mainland-based Taiwanese business executives wasted no time tell Lin on Friday evening their grumbles about the "lack of shelter" for their businesses in China.
Compared to his predecessors, Lin's background in the private sector has served both as an asset and a liability in his current post as the economic affairs minister, observers said.
"He's friendly and is easy to approach. He lacks the stiffness that defines many officials. And his previous background as a businessman has enabled him to understand the problems we've confronted with in the private sector," commented David Su (
An engineering major, Lin joined the China Motor Corporation (CMC) as an engineer in 1972. In 1987, he was promoted to general manager of the then financially ailing company. Ten years later, he took up the post of CMC's vice chairman and eventually revitalized the company into one of the auto industry heavyweights of Taiwan.
In 1998, CMC was awarded "Best Reputation and Role Model for Taiwan's Motor Industry in 1997."
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