Larry Wang
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Larry Wang or Wang Yu-yuan (, born 1947) is a Taiwanese senior diplomat of the
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
(Taiwan). He is a native of Wujin County,
Jiangsu Province Jiangsu is a coastal province in East China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its capital in Nanjing. Jiangsu is the third smallest, but the fifth most populous, with a population of 84. ...
. He is proficient in English and Spanish. He was the 9th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of China to the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
. He was previously the Representative of the
Taipei Representative Office in the Netherlands The Taipei Representative Office in the Netherlands () represents the interests of Taiwan in the Netherlands in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a ''de facto'' embassy. Its counterpart in Taiwan is the Netherlands Offi ...
.


Early life and education

Wang was born in
Kaifeng Kaifeng ( zh, s=开封, p=Kāifēng) is a prefecture-level city in east-Zhongyuan, central Henan province, China. It is one of the Historical capitals of China, Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and ...
City,
Henan Province Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Luo ...
,
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
. He received a B.A. in political science in 1970 and a graduate degree in political science in 1973 from the
Chinese Culture University The Chinese Culture University (CCU; ) is a private Taiwanese university located in Yangmingshan in Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan. Established in 1962, CCU is one of the largest universities in Taiwan with an enrollment of about 32,000 student ...
.


Career overview

Before entering the diplomatic service in 1974, Wang Yu-yuan worked in the Overseas Department of the
Broadcasting Corporation of China The Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC) is a broadcasting company in the Republic of China (also known as Taiwan). It was founded as the Central Broadcasting System in Nanjing in 1928. History The Central Broadcasting System is considere ...
(BCC) in Taipei as English reporter and Deputy Director of the Section for international programs. He also worked for the ''
Central Daily News The ''Central Daily News'' was the official newspaper of the Kuomintang and is one of the world's oldest Chinese language newspapers, having been in circulation since 1928. The Kuomintang made the decision to temporarily cease publication of the n ...
'' in Taipei as editor and translator. Wang began his diplomatic career in the Department of North American Affairs at Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He then served in various roles at the Embassy of the Republic of China in Washington from 1976 to 1979. Following the cessation of official diplomatic relations between the Republic of China and the United States, he served at the
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States () represents the interests of Taiwan in the United States in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a ''de facto'' embassy. Its counterpart in Taiw ...
, with a three-year interlude in
Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...
, from 1979 to 1994. He returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Chief of Protocol 1994 to 1996, afterwards serving as the Representative of Taiwan in Buenos Aires from 1996 to 2003. He then directed the Department of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before serving as Representative of Taiwan in The Hague and from 2006 to 2008 and Ambassador to the Holy See.


Embassy of the Republic of China and Taipei Representative Office in Washington D.C. tenure

In 1976, Wang Yu-yuan, who was part of the staff of the North American Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was assigned to the Embassy of the Republic of China in Washington D.C. as Third Secretary. Initially, he worked in the political section, but in August 1978, following the transfer to Taipei of Senior Secretary Huang Chun-chien (黃純謙), Head of General Affairs Section, Ambassador
James Shen James C.H. Shen (; July 2, 1909, Shanghai – July 12, 2007, Taipei) was a Taiwanese diplomat. Shen served as the last official Republic of China ambassador to the United States before the U.S. switched its diplomatic recognition to the People's ...
promoted him to Head of the General Affairs Section. Just a few months later, on December 15, 1978, US President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...
announced that the United States would sever its diplomatic relations with the Republic of China. Wang was placed in charge of relocating the embassy and moving everything out of Twin Oakes. He was also responsible for what he described later on to be the "saddest day of his career": the flag-lowering ceremony in Twin Oaks on December 31 of the same year. This event marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Republic of China's representative offices in the United States. In 1983,
Fredrick Chien Chien Foo (; born 21 March 1935), also known by his English name Fredrick Foo Chien, is a Taiwanese diplomat and politician who served as the List of presidents of the Control Yuan, president of the Control Yuan from 1999 to 2005. After earning ...
, ROC Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, was appointed ROC Representative to Washington D.C., USA. In 1984, Chien brought Wang, then Section Chief of the Department of North American of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to his Representative Office to participate in the lobbying of the U.S. Congress for the interests of ROC. He kept this position for ten years. Following Chien's departure in July 1988,
Ting Mao-shih Ting Mao-shih (; born 10 October 1925) is a Taiwanese diplomat and politician. Ting attended the University of Paris and began working for the Central News Agency in 1956. He left two years later for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and began hi ...
succeeded Chien as Taiwan's Representative in Washington D.C.. Wang kept working for Ting until 1994. His working style seemed to be appreciated by his superiors as evidenced by the fact that his name was quoted three times by within Chien's memoirs (錢復回憶錄). The first quotation refers to the time when the ROC decided to accept the proposal of US President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
to provide a secret donation to Nicaragua rebels. In August 1985, Foreign Minister Chu Fu-sung asked Wang to personally deliver an instruction to Chien, ROC Representative in Washington. (See Fredrick Chien Memoirs Volume II, page 436). The second quotation refers to the period right before ROC President
Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (, 27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China. The eldest and only biological son of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China and ended ...
's historical decision to lift martial law in 1986. In the month of July, Vice President Lee Teng-hui's Secretary Su Chih-chien (蘇志誠) asked Wang to deliver a message from Taipei to Chien, who was very doubtful about its content. However, later in September, a long-distance call from
Chiang Hsiao-yung Chiang Hsiao-yung (; also known as Eddie Chiang; October, 1948 – December 22, 1996) was a politician of the Republic of China. Biography Chiang was born in Shanghai, Republic of China in 1948. He was the third son of Chiang Ching-kuo, the Presi ...
, son of Chiang Ching-kuo, confirmed to Chien that Chiang Ching-kuo had decided to accept Chien's views to lift
martial law in Taiwan Martial law in Taiwan () refers to the periods in the history of Taiwan after World War II, during control by the Republic of China Armed Forces of the Kuomintang-led regime. The term is specifically used to refer to the over 38-year-long c ...
. (See Fredrick Chien Memoirs Volume II page 362). In August 1987, the United States took under consideration the idea of co-producing frigates with Taiwan. Two U.S. senators from the State of Maine-George Mitchell (Democrat) and William Cohen (Republican), confided Chien through Wang their hopes that Taiwan would choose Bath Iron Works Corporation, located in the State of Maine, as future US partner of this co-production project. (See Fredrick Chien Memoirs Volume II page 492). In 1991, Ting promoted Wang, who took over
Jason Yuan Jason Yuan (; born 1 February 1942) is a Taiwanese politician and diplomat. He was the Secretary-General of the National Security Council in 2012–2014. ROC Representative to the United States Yuan was the chief representative of the Republic ...
’s position, as Director-General of Congressional Affairs Division of ROC's representation in Washington D.C.. In this position, Wang made his greatest achievement. Thanks to the strategy devised by Ting, Wang brilliantly succeeded in a very short period of time in winning the support of a large number of both members of the U.S Senate and House for the sale of F-16 fighter planes to Taiwan. The strong support and Congressional resolutions of U.S. Congress contributed to President Bush’s announcement of the sale 150 F-16 fighter planes to the Republic of China on September 2, 1992.


Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chief of Protocol tenure

In March 1994, as Chief of Protocol of the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang accompanied President
Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui (; pinyin: ''Lǐ Dēnghuī''; 15 January 192330 July 2020) was a Taiwanese politician and agricultural scientist who served as the fourth president of the Republic of China, president of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan) unde ...
( 李登輝) in his first visit to Central American countries, and South Africa. He also accompanied Vice President Lee Yuan-zu (李元簇)to his official visit to Panama and Guatemala, travelled with Premier
Lien Chan Lien Chan ( zh, t=連戰, w=, p=, poj=; born August 27, 1936) is a Taiwanese political scientist and politician. He was the chairman of the Taiwan Provincial Government from 1990 to 1993, premier of the Republic of China from 1993 to 1997, vice ...
( 連戰) to the Dominican Republic and Panama; and joined Foreign Minister Fredrick Chien in his trip to the Caribbean countries.


ROC Ambassador to the Holy See tenure

On November 8, 2008, Wang Yu-yuan presented his Letters of Credence to
Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...
as the ninth ROC Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
the Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the bishop of the apostolic episcopal see ...
, (the “Vatican”), in order to take care of Catholics in mainland China and to seek dialogue with the authorities on the Chinese mainland, Vatican's bilateral relations with ROC are quite subtle. Since the beginning of 1971, the Vatican lowered the ranking of the “Ambassador of the Pope” or “Apostolic Nuncio” to Chargé d'Affaires. In addition to the consolidation of diplomatic ties and to the active promotion of substantive relations, thanks to the tireless work of Wang Yu-yuan, on May 8, 2010, the ROC Ministry of Education officially recognized the degrees issued by 23 Pontifical Universities, Academies and Institutions in Rome, thereby solving a thorny issue that lasted over several decades. The diplomas of about eight hundred members of the clergy who have studies in Pontifical institutions in the past are now recognized. On July 12, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI bestowed upon Ambassador Wang the “Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX” medal (Latin: A MAGNA CRVCE EQVITEM ORDINIS PIANI), the highest honor awarded to the ambassadors to the Holy See. The award ceremony was presided by the Chief of Protocol of the Holy See, Msgr. Fortunatus Nwachukwu, on behalf of the Pope. On December 2, 2011, the ROC signed the first agreement with the Holy See in a seventy-year period, it was called “Agreement on the Collaboration in the Field of Higher Education and on the Recognition of Studies, Qualifications, Diplomas and Degrees.” According to President Ma Ying-jeou, this agreement helps making Taiwan “a centre of higher education for East Asia.” As a result, Catholic teaching will be part of the curricula of Catholic institutions. This agreement was the fruit of a year's work and saw the cooperation of the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, the bishops of Taiwan,
Fu Jen Catholic University Fu Jen Catholic University (FJU, FJCU or Fu Jen; or ) is a private education, private Catholic university in Xinzhuang District, Xinzhuang, New Taipei City, Taiwan. The university was founded in 1925 in Beijing at the request of Pope Pius XI and ...
and other Catholic colleges. Msgr. Paul Russell, Vatican's Chargé d'Affaires in Tapei, said that "First of all, we had to find a common view among ourselves and then we worked closely with the Ministry of Education, of the Interior hich carries the portfolio on faith communities the Foreign Ministry. We received enormous help from Taiwan’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Larry Wang, and President Ma Ying-jeou." The Agreement entered into force on December 17, 2012. On February 11, 2013,
Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...
’s announced retirement shocked the world, as a similar event last occurred 600 years earlier. The timing of Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement coincided with the Lunar New Year holiday period in Taiwan. Wang Yu-yuan, without previous authorization, through negotiations and exchanging of views with the Vatican, tried for nearly a month to succeed at what was regarded as an extremely difficult task: welcoming ROC President Ma Ying-jeou to attend Pope Francis’ installation ceremony. Wang finally got the Holy See to agree on his proposal. Ma Ying-jeou became the Republic of China's first President to ever attend a Pope's inauguration ceremony and the first ROC President to see the Pope. Ma Ying-jeou expressed his appreciation for Wang's effort and spoke highly of him.


Awards and decorations

In October 1995, Wang Yu-Yuan was awarded the Grand Officer of the Order of Antonio José de Irisarri by the President of Guatemala; On July 3, 1996, he was awarded the “Orden Francisco Morazan” medal by the President of Honduras; On September 26, 2008, he was awarded the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon by ROC President
Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou ( zh, t=馬英九; pinyin: ''Mǎ Yīngjiǔ''; ; born 13 July 1950) is a Taiwanese politician, lawyer, and legal scholar who served as the sixth president of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2016. A member of the Kuomintang (KMT ...
; On July 12, 2011, he was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX by Pope Benedict XVI "(Latin: 'A Magna Crvce Eqvitem Ordinis Piani' ); On November 8, 2012, he was appointed a Grand Officer of the
Order pro merito Melitensi The Order of Merit (; ) is the order of merit of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, established in 1920. It is awarded to recipients who have brought honour to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, promoted Christian values and for chari ...
by His Most Eminent Highness Fra' Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta for his promotion of values and works of charity in the Christian tradition as defined by the Roman Catholic Church.


See also

*
Embassy of the Republic of China to the Holy See The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See () is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of China (also known as Taiwan) accredited to the Holy See, one of its few ''de jure'' embassies in the world, and the only one remaining ...
*
China–Holy See relations There are no official bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Holy See. The Holy See instead recognizes the Republic of China (Taiwan) as the representative of China ever since the establishment of relations wit ...
*
Foreign relations of Taiwan Foreign relations of Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), are accomplished by efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a cabinet-level ministry of the central government. the ROC has formal diplomatic relations with 11 of th ...
*
Foreign relations of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), has full diplomatic relations with 180 out of the other 192 United Nations member states, Cook Islands, Niue and the State of Palestine. , China has had the most diplomatic missions of ...
*
Foreign relations of the Holy See The Holy See has long been recognised as a subject of international law and as an active participant in international relations. It is distinct from the city-state of the Vatican City, over which the Holy See has "full ownership, exclusive domi ...
* Holy See–Taiwan relations * Republic of China Ambassador to the Holy See


References


External links


Nov. 8, 2008 Ambassador Wang presented letter of Credence to Pope Benedict XVI


{{DEFAULTSORT:Wang, Larry 1947 births Living people Chinese Culture University alumni Kuomintang politicians in Taiwan Representatives of Taiwan to Argentina Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX Ambassadors of the Republic of China to the Holy See Representatives of Taiwan to the Netherlands