Australia's top diplomat celebrates her first year

Australian diplomacy in Taiwan is in the safe hands of Frances Adamson -- Australia's first female representative to Taipei -- who recently completed her first year as Canberra's top liaison officer here.

In the past year, Australia played a key role in diplomatic and economic areas, including the establishment of an Asia-Pacific regional research and development center in Sydney by Chunghua Telecom and Australian builders winning contracts for the high-speed railway project.

Also during the past year, Qantas Airways opened direct flights between Taipei and Cairns.

Taiwan is Australia's eighth largest trading partner, while Australia is the nation's second largest source of imports.

Adamson, 40, arrived in Taipei with her husband and four children in November 2001 to assume her new post.

Born and raised in Adelaide, Adamson decided at the age of 18 that she wanted to become a diplomat. She realized her dream at the age of 24 when she joined the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

An Asian-Pacific economics major whose speciality is the economic performances and situations of the four Asian dragons -- Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea -- Adamson speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin.

She had served as a DFAT official in charge of Taiwan affairs and as a diplomat in Hong Kong and Macau before assuming her post in Taipei.

Over the past year, Adamson has frequently been asked by people in Taiwan how she is able to manage a family and a career at the same time.

She admits she is a little bit surprised when people express their amazement at her being able to be both a good mother and a good diplomat.

Adamson points out that it is natural for Australian women to have a career and a family at the same time and that many female diplomats do so.

She adds that she believes her "work smart" ethic has contributed to the success of her career.