TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's National Security Council (國安會), the island's top security advisory body, issued a stern statement Saturday (Aug. 23), refuting a United Daily News (UDN, 聯合報) report claiming that Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) had been proposed as Taiwan's representative to the United States but was rejected by U.S. authorities. The council labeled the report as entirely false and misleading to the public. Officials emphasized their commitment to transparency while challenging what they described as inaccurate journalism.
The council clarified that Wu was neither nominated nor consulted for the position, and thus, no proposal or rejection occurred. Criticizing the report's deviation from facts, the council noted that United Daily News failed to verify with the council or relevant departments before publication. They condemned the inaccurate report and urged the media to uphold professional ethics and adhere to verification principles when covering sensitive diplomatic matters.
United Daily News reported that President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) had decided to replace the current representative, Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), with Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉). However, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部), the island's diplomatic agency, responded Saturday (Aug. 23) by stating that there are no current personnel plans. Foreign affairs insiders indicated that no personnel procedures have been initiated for any diplomatic position changes in the United States.
Individuals related to MOFA called on the public to refrain from spreading misinformation about diplomatic appointments and personnel changes. Officials expressed concern that those with ulterior motives might disrupt the operations of Taiwan's representative office in the U.S. The diplomatic tensions highlight the sensitive nature of Taiwan-U.S. relations and the importance of accurate reporting in international affairs. ◼