"My eldest son, 18, recently came back to Taiwan during his break from Auckland University in New Zealand. He also said, `Dad, is it true that you'll really work as the spokesman?'" Shih added, delivering another smile.
Colleagues in the ministry have lauded him for his work. "He is very smart and capable," Chang, now Taiwan's representative to the Netherlands, has said of her successor. One of Chien's top aides also said that Shih is one of the few middle-ranking officials in the ministry that has won the favor of the minister.
Despite his recognized ability, Shih was reprimanded by the ministry last summer in the wake of what was viewed as his mishandling of the visit of the Senegalese national soccer team to Taiwan.
The team failed to take part in an exhibition game in Taipei -- as had been expected -- during their 36-hour goodwill visit to the capital.
The visitors were accused of being bad-mannered and parsimonious, arguing over sums as small as US$1 and becoming angry after US$300 call girls were deemed too expensive for them.
It was believed that there was a breakdown in communication over the visit, given that the visit involved swift negotiations among the foreign ministries of the two nations, the team involved and national sporting bodies.
"I did suffer a setback over the Senegal case and felt really embarrassed by having brought the ministry trouble," Shih said. "But I'll just continue to do my best."
When asked how he would strike a balance between safeguarding the national interest while respecting the freedom of the press in his new task as the ministry's spokesman, Shih -- who described himself as "sincere" -- gave an expected answer.
"It has been my principle that a diplomat should safeguard one's national dignity and sovereignty, while trying to maximize the national interest," he said.
RSS