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Chen Rong-jye ready to adapt to life in Russia

Chen Rong-jye will take up the post of Taipei representative to Russia later this month. PHOTO: LU CHUN-WEI, LIBERTY TIMES

Chen Rong-jye (陳榮傑) purchased several books on Russia during a recent trip to the US as part of his homework prior to his departure for Moscow later this month to take up his new post as Taipei's top representative to the country.

The 59-year-old law major, who joined the foreign ministry in the 1970s and then moved among various government and private agencies before returning to the ministry, has a unique perception of the assets he possesses for his new task.

"I've had a rather miserable life. While others stay in one single agency up until retirement, I've tasted more variation," Chen said in his vice minister's office at the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission last Wednesday.

"If I were to name my assets developed from my previous tasks, it's my capability to utilize diversified approaches to problem solving instead of following the doctrines of diplomacy listed in textbooks," he said.

Unlike his predecessor, Charles King (金樹基), who spent decades in the foreign service, Chen has been a part of various government and private institutions over the past few decades.

To Russia with love * Chen received his Juris Doctorate from Southern Methodist University in 1979. * Chen is said to be a skilled negotiator and was responsible for communications with the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait. * He was Taipei's deputy representative to the US between 1995 and 1997.

With his first degree in law from National Taiwan University, where Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) was one of his classmates, Chen obtained his master's degree in comparative law from Southern Methodist University in the US in 1973.

Six years later, Chen received his Juris Doctorate from the same university before returning to the foreign minister. He also moonlighted as an adjunct professor of law at Soochow University and Central Police University until 1986.

Chen's initial involvement in the foreign service included work in Saudi Arabia from 1976 to 1977, section chief and director-general of the ministry's department of treaty and legal affairs and councilor in the embassy in South Africa from 1986 to 1990.

From 1992, Chen's career took a U-turn as he became involved in cross-strait affairs by acting as an adviser to the Mainland Affairs Council and as secretary-general of the semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) from 1992 to 1993.

Many of his supporters say Chen stood out as a skilled negotiator while he was engaged in cross-strait affairs.

For instance, following negotiations in 1992 in Hong Kong between the SEF and its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), Chen was made responsible for subsequent communications with ARATS.

Exchanges between the two intermediary bodies then culminated in what later became known as "the 1992 consensus," whereby Taiwan and China were to recognize "`one China' with each side having its own interpretation."

The 1992 talk and the subsequent consensus were believed to be instrumental in paving the way for the 1993 ground-breaking Singapore summit between SEF chairman Koo Chen-fu (辜振甫) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Daohan (汪道涵).

Recalling his unexpected involvement in cross-strait exchanges through the semi-official bodies, Chen said: "My participation in the cross-strait talks was a chance hard to come by."

Upon leaving the SEF, Chen's career took another unusual twist when he acted as president of the then debt-stricken Independence News Group from 1993 to 1994.

His negotiating experience came into play here as well as he became involved in countless discussions about bonuses to reporters and editors during the Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Festival and Chinese Moon Festival -- three traditional holidays where private firms usually award bonuses to employees.

In 1995, Chen returned to the foreign service by acting as Taipei's deputy representative to the US until early 1997.

His colleagues, however, refused to comment on his performance as Taiwan's No. 2 de facto ambassador to Washington.

"I don't want to make any comment on him," KMT Legislator John Chang (章孝嚴), then minister of foreign affairs, told the Taipei Times.

Chen dismisses critics who say his promotion to vice minister of the Overseas Chinese Affairs commission after the DPP came to power in 2000 and his recent appointment was due to his support for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).

"There is no need for me to respond to this," said Chen Rong-jye.

Chen took an oath to become a DPP member along with other government officials this summer as the president took over the post of party chairman.

"I've never asked for any position in my longstanding career as a civil servant. ... Actually, when the government announced that I was appointed as the representative to Russia, many of my friends were puzzled," Chen Rong-jye said.

"They said I was unfamiliar with the language there and the political environment in Russia was not good, asking me why I would accept the offer," Chen said.

Shouldering what he saw as high expectations from the incumbent government for his role in boosting Taipei-Moscow ties, Chen appeared confident in his new role prior to his relocation to Moscow on Friday.

"I've faced many challenges in the past. As a result, I have polished my ability to adjust to new environments," Chen said.
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