Representative to Singapore Vanessa Shih (史亞平) will return home to be assigned to a new post at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei, an official confirmed yesterday.
This is a “normal personnel change” and the ministry has issued a formal notice to that effect, ministry spokesman James Chang (章計平) said.
“At present, I have no information on who will replace Shih,” or when she would return, he said.
He did not confirm the reports that Shih was being reassigned because the Singaporean government was dissatisfied with her performance.
Reports have said that Shih was branded a “troublemaker” by Singaporean officials for displaying the Republic of China flag in public, a move that reportedly irked some officials who strictly abide to the city-state’s “one China” policy.
“Taiwan and Singapore have a good relationship,” and Shih has been working for the past three years in Singapore to strengthen bilateral ties, Chang said, adding that after three years, her reassignment was routine.
For example, he said, Taiwan and Singapore have held several rounds of talks on an economic partnership agreement.
The negotiations on the Agreement between Singapore and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Partnership have been “going according to schedule,” Chang said.
Shih, a former Government Information Office chief and spokesperson for the Executive Yuan, had also served as one of three of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) spokespersons during the 2008 presidential campaign.
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