TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's government retained Alexander Yui (俞大㵢) as its representative to the United States Wednesday (Sept. 10) after Washington rejected an alternative candidate, according to Liberty Times Net (自由時報). Officials initially considered National Security Council (國安會) adviser Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) for the crucial diplomatic post but faced U.S. disapproval. The rejection stemmed from Hsu's 2017 criticism of American preparations at the Ninth Community of Democracies conference, where he served as executive director of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD, 台灣民主基金會).
Taiwan-U.S. relations have faced mounting challenges since Taiwan's new administration assumed power, including contentious tariff disputes and a denied New York transit request. These diplomatic setbacks have intensified concerns about the crucial bilateral relationship between the democratic allies. Yui's retention has attracted scrutiny from opposition parties due to previous accusations involving public fund misuse and allegations that her spouse mistreated subordinates.
Hsu's failure to gain U.S. backing also resulted from strained interactions with Elbridge A. Colby, deputy secretary of defense and close ally of Vice President JD Vance. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) internally considered appointing Harry Tseng (曾厚仁), currently Taiwan's representative to Canada, citing his extensive North American experience and regional expertise. However, officials ultimately decided against pursuing this significant personnel change for the critical Washington posting. ◼