The country's newly appointed representative to the UK, Edgar Lin (林俊義), has a political career as diverse as his academic accomplishments.
Dubbed Taiwan's "Godfather of Environmental Movement," Lin was head of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) from 2000 to 2001. His brief service at the EPA ended shortly after an oil spill devastated a highly cherished ecological conservation area in southern Taiwan.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
The spill, caused by a Greek cargo ship, the MV Armogos, ran aground on a reef near the Kengting National Park, triggered vehement attacks against Lin from both the governing and opposition parties, which blamed the EPA for its slow response to the disaster that ruined many coral reefs.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government sacked him in order to ease public anger about the agency's inefficiency in handling the oil spill, even though some international environmental experts said the EPA took the corrective measures to salvage the polluted area, Wealth Magazine reported at that time.
"Nobody doubts Lin's seriousness toward his job and his sense of mission toward the environment," the magazine said. However, Lin, a DPP member who did not join any party faction, could hardly find political support after the spill incident.
"Lin is a lonely bird fighting the MV Armogos," the magazine article also said.
Author of the book, The Evil Spirit of Politics (政治的邪靈), Lin once described politics as "an ocean full of sharks" and "the most filthy and cruel whirlpool" in the world. Nevertheless, he also noted he wanted to see his ideals realized through his participation in politics.
Lin, who was sworn in as representative to the UK last week, reflected on the political turmoil he faced after the oil spill.
"Politicizing environmental issues will bring many regrets," he said in an interview.
Probably because of the grinding political pressure he went through three years ago, Lin showed deep sympathy to former representative to the UK, Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂), who resigned after his office was found to have issued a passport to fugitive arms dealer Andrew Wang's (汪傳浦) wife.
Tien is widely regarded as a scapegoat for the visa fiasco, as many believe certain senior government officials have condoned or even facilitated the Wang family's application for visas and other legal documents in Taiwan's overseas representative offices.
"It is deeply regrettable that Tien resigned over the visa matter. The consular section in the London office is very busy. It is impossible for Tien to check every application form. His performance is highly acclaimed. Everybody says he did a great job in the UK," Lin said.
Six months after he resigned from the EPA, Lin was appointed ambassador to Gambia. Lin said his career transition from EPA head to a diplomat gave him an opportunity to enjoy a diverse life.
Viewing the UK as a vital diplomatic front, the government traditionally appointed internationally renowned figures to be representatives to London. Tien, for example, is a well-respected academic and a former foreign minister.
Lin's contribution to Taiwan's anti-nuclear movement, international reputation as a biologist and achievements in Gambia are among the host of reasons why the government chose him to be Taiwan's representative in the UK, observers said.
"People tend to think only those who study diplomacy in university can be diplomats. Actually, broad knowledge and life experience are more important to a diplomat. If you look at resumes of foreign diplomats, you will find that they come from all sorts of backgrounds," said Lin.
Though better known for his scientific accomplishments, Lin got his bachelor's degree at National Taiwan University's Department of Foreign Languages and Literature. After university, he went to the US and decided to study biology at the Goshen College.
Citing John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and Arthur Miller's Death of A Salesman as two of his favorite books, Lin said his reading of what he called "naturalism" in American literature aroused his desire to study biology.
"I have been pursuing a colorful life through living different lifestyles. I am fortunate because I am given such opportunities," he said.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai
Four China Coast Guard ships briefly sailed through prohibited waters near Kinmen County, Taipei said, urging Beijing to stop actions that endanger navigation safety. The Chinese ships entered waters south of Kinmen, 5km from the Chinese city of Xiamen, at about 3:30pm on Monday, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement later the same day. The ships “sailed out of our prohibited and restricted waters” about an hour later, the agency said, urging Beijing to immediately stop “behavior that endangers navigation safety.” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) yesterday told reporters that Taiwan would boost support to the Coast Guard