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NewsMaker: Joseph Wu: political buffer between US and Taiwan

"There are many officials who are qualified for this important office, but there are few who could obtain Wu's level of trust, which makes him the best candidate for this position among the DPP's top brass."

Yu Pen-li, a former diplomat

Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), the newly appointed de facto ambassador to the US, will play the role of a political buffer between the US and Taiwan to defuse any diplomatic tension during what remains of President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) term in office.

Both former American Institute in Taiwan chairman Nat Bellocchi and Heritage Foundation researcher John Tkacik have described the appointment of Wu, who will replace outgoing representative David Lee (李大維), as a "smart choice" by Chen.

Several Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members have heralded Wu's appointment as an achievement for the DPP government. They said that this would finally put an end to taunts from the pan-blue camp that the DPP has no capable members in the field of foreign affairs.

Wu's predecessors Chien-jen (程建人) and Lee are both members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and are considered part of the old guard under former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰), an issue which has irked the pan-green camp for a long time.

Wu's uncle, former senior presidential adviser and steadfast pro-independence advocate Wu Li-pei (吳澧培), is expected to add to Wu's credibility among DPP members.

"Actually, there are many officials who are qualified for this important office, but there are few who could obtain Wu's level of trust, which makes him the best candidate for this position among the DPP's top brass," said Yu Pen-li (尤本立), a former diplomat who worked in Washington when Cheng served as representative.

Wu, who likes to wear bright ties pinned with a tie bar, is known for his easy smile and sometimes stumbling over his words in his excitement to explain cross-strait policies to reporters or legislators. People who know Wu describe him as cordial and courteous, and say he speaks English fluently.

"I am quite impressed with Wu's humble attitude and his ability to explain cross-strait policies," Yu said.

As head of the Mainland Affairs Council, Wu has visited the US at least twice a year to communicate with officials and think tanks about Taiwan's cross-strait policies. US officials and members of Congress in charge of Asia-Pacific affairs all seem to get along well with Wu.

Wu has been interviewed by several US TV networks while visiting the US, including C-SPAN, a network which televises sessions of Congress.

He is meticulous about what he says, and his eloquence and quick wit has drawn praise from many foreign visitors and local legislators.

"I think Wu will be an excellent buffer to reduce friction between the US and the DPP government," said Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), a research fellow in political science at Academia Sinica.

Hsu said Wu's appointment indicated that the US government accepted the DPP government, which Hsu interpreted as "progress" in bilateral relations.

When visiting the US, Wu told the representative offices there not to bother with the flowers and gifts that they usually prepare for visiting officials, saying it was unnecessary and overelaborate, Hsu said.
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