Joseph Wu

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Joseph Wu (Chinese: 吳釗燮, Pinyin: Wu Zhaoxie, born 1954/5?) is currently the chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China (ROC; Taiwan), the body charged with coordinating relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC; mainland China). He was appointed to the position by President Chen Shui-bian in May 2004. Prior to the appointment he had served as Deputy Secretary General of the Presidential Office for Chen since 2002.

Prior to entering politics, he was an academic political scientist, finishing his Ph.D. in political science in 1989 at Ohio State University. He wrote papers critical of the PRC while in the United States. He served as a teacher and research assistant in the political science department of Ohio State University in the United States, and as deputy director of the Institute of International Relations of National Chengchi University in Taiwan.

His appointment proved somewhat controversial due to his reputation as a supporter of Taiwan independence, especially in light of the simultaneous appointment as foreign minister of former independence activist Mark Chen.