Lin Chia-lung

Lin Chia-lung (Chinese: 林佳龍; pinyin: Lín Jiālóng; born 13 February 1964) is a Taiwanese political scientist and politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2024. He previously served as the Secretary General to the President from 2023 to 2024.

Before entering politics, Lin graduated from National Taiwan University, earned three degrees from Yale University, and became a professor of political science at National Chung Cheng University. As a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), he ran in the 2014 Taiwanese local elections and was elected as Mayor of Taichung, serving from 2014 to 2018.

Lin was born in Wanhua District, Taipei City, in 1964. He has two sisters. He was raised in a poor family; both his mother and maternal grandfather were debtors. His father was a suit tailor from Mailiao, Yunlin, who studied in Taipei but, after failing to pass the college entrance exam, left his hometown to work in Wanhua. His mother was from Lukang, Changhua County. When Lin was an infant, the family's house burned down.

Lin attended Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School, where he was elected class monitor, and graduated in 1982. Afterwards, he enrolled at National Taiwan University (NTU) and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in political science in 1986 and his master's degree in political science in 1988. As an undergraduate, he was an active student activist, serving as president of the NTU "Mainland Affairs Research Society," a small Kuomintang dissident group, and as a representative of the university's student union. He completed compulsory military service in the Republic of China Army in the 10th Air Defense Artillery Corps.

In 1990, Lin was one of the co-leaders of the Wild Lily student movement along with Luo Wen-jia and Julian Kuo. In 1991, while studying for his doctorate at NTU, Lin was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to complete graduate studies in the United States. He earned a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in 1992, a second Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1993, and his Ph.D. in 1998, all from Yale University in political science. His doctoral dissertation, "Paths to democracy: Taiwan in comparative perspective," was completed under political scientist Juan José Linz.

After receiving his doctorate, Lin returned to Taiwan and became a professor of political science. He joined the faculty of the political science department at National Chung Cheng University, where he was as an assistant professor from 1999 through 2004. His research interests included the democratization of Taiwan, as well as the political and economic development of the People's Republic of China, and has written several books on the subjects.

In the early 2000s, he served in various capacities in the Executive Yuan under DPP President Chen Shui-bian. Lin was appointed an advisor to the National Security Council in 2000, and to the position of cabinet spokesman in 2003. Lin represented the government position in a debate against Legislator Kao Chin Su-mei, where he argued in favor of arms procurements which would be submitted to referendum the following year.

Due to his performance as cabinet spokesman, Lin was appointed director of the Government Information Office (GIO) by President Chen Shui-bian following his reelection in 2004. In January 2005, Lin authorized a GIO program encouraging donations to provide financial support for orphans of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Controversy over the program later arose in August 2005, five months after Lin had left GIO, surrounding the delay in disbursing NT$400 million in donations to various charities and NGOs. Media reports suggesting that the program had been neglected in the transition between Lin and his successor at GIO, Pasuya Yao were denied by GIO, which promised the funds would be disbursed by September 5.