Dr. David Lee Ta-wei
李大維
Chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation
Incumbent
Assumed office 31 January 2023
Preceded by	Rock Hsu (acting)
In office 20 May 2020 – 3 August 2020
Deputy	Chiu Chui-cheng Rock Hsu
Preceded by	Katharine Chang
Succeeded by	Rock Hsu (acting)
Secretary-General to the President
In office 3 August 2020 – 31 January 2023
President	Tsai Ing-wen
Preceded by	Su Jia-chyuan Liu Chien-sin (acting)
Succeeded by	Lin Chia-lung
Secretary-General of National Security Council
In office 26 February 2018 – 19 May 2020
Preceded by	Yen Teh-fa
Succeeded by	Wellington Koo Li-hsiung
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 20 May 2016 – 26 February 2018
Premier	Lin Chuan William Lai
Deputy	Hou Ching-shan Wu Chih-chung
Vice	Lee Chen-jan
Preceded by	David Lin
Succeeded by	Joseph Wu
Taiwanese Representative to Australia
In office 1 January 2015 – 2016
MOFA Minister	David Lin
Preceded by	Katharine Chang
Succeeded by	William Lin (acting)
Director of the Coordination Council for North American Affairs, TECRO
In office 20 May 2012 – 1 January 2015
Preceded by	Shao Yu-ming
Succeeded by	Katherine Chang
Taiwanese Representative to Canada
In office 10 April 2007 – 20 May 2012
MOFA Minister	James C. F. Huang Francisco Ou Timothy Yang
Succeeded by	Liu Chih-kung
Taiwanese Representative to the United States
In office 25 July 2004 – 10 April 2007
MOFA Minister	Mark Chen James C. F. Huang
Preceded by	Chen Chien-jen
Succeeded by	Joseph Wu
Taiwanese Representative to the European Union and Belgium
In office 21 March 2001 – 25 July 2004
MOFA Minister	Tien Hung-mao Eugene Chien Mark Chen
Succeeded by	Chen Chien-jen
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 5 February 1998 – 29 December 2000
Minister	Chiang Hsiao-yen Jason Hu Chen Chien-jen Tien Hung-mao
Minister of the Government Information Office
In office 15 May 1997 – 5 February 1998
Premier	Lien Chan Vincent Siew
Preceded by	Su Chi
Succeeded by	Chen Chien-jen
Vice Minister of the Government Information Office
In office 1996–1997
Minister	Su Chi
Personal details
Born	(1949-10-15) 15 October 1949 (age 74) Taipei, Taiwan
Political party	Kuomintang (suspended)
Alma mater	National Taiwan University University of Virginia
Occupation	Diplomat

David Lee Ta-wei (Chinese: 李大維; pinyin: Lǐ Dàwéi; born 15 October 1949) is a Taiwanese politician and diplomat who is the chairman of Straits Exchange Foundation since 31 January 2023. He formerly served as the chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation in 2020, the Secretary-General of the National Security Council of Taiwan in 2018-2020, the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 20 May 2016 to 26 February 2018,^[1] and the Secretary-General to the President since 3 August 2020 to 31 January 2023.^[2]

Education

• 1986 PhD in Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia, USA
• 1980 M.A. in Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia
• 1973 B.A. in Political Science, National Taiwan University, ROC (Taiwan)

Career timeline

• 2007–2012 representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada
• 2004–2007 representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States
• 2001–2004 representative, Taipei Representative Office in Belgium, also responsible for the European Union and Luxembourg
• 1998–2001 deputy minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan)
• 2000–2001 adjunct professor, National Taiwan University
• 1997–1998 director-general, Government Information Office, Executive Yuan, and Government Spokesman (Cabinet rank), ROC
• 1996 director-general, Department of North American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC
• 1993–1996 associate in Research, Fairbank Centre for East Asian Research, Harvard University
• 1993–1996 director-general, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston
• 1990–1993 deputy director-general, Department of International Information Service, Government Information Office, Executive Yuan
• 1988–1993 adjunct associate professor, National Taiwan Normal University
• 1988–1989 principal assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 1982–1988 staff consultant, Coordination Council for North American Affairs, Office in Washington, D.C.
• 1976–1977 managing editor, Asia and the World Forum, Taipei, Taiwan

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Taiwan membership at the United Nations

Speaking in August 2016, Lee said that Taiwan will continue to pursue meaningful participation in the United Nations (UN) agencies. However, he will not promote Taiwan to apply for UN membership.^[3]

ROC diplomatic allies visits

During his ministerial term, Lee visited Palau to attend the inauguration of President Tommy Remengesau in January 2017, Haiti to attend the inauguration of President Jovenel Moïse in February 2017 and Solomon Islands in June 2017.^[4][5][6]

Secretary General to the President

Confidentiality breach on the Special Force soldier letter

On 11 March 2022, a special force soldier wrote a letter to President Tsai Ing-wen reporting the insufficient basic logistic supply which has compelled the combatants to purchase from outsider suppliers at their own expense for two years, then being disqualified as non-standard upon inspection, in contrast of the reserve trainees receiving new sets; and appealed to abolish the mandatory diary writing for examination.^[7][8] The classified "2022006470" paper was taken photo illegally from the presidential palace and leaked to the media with his identity exposed on 18 March; hence Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng reacted: "I will not let him get away with it", "Fix the crying baby!"; but later clarified while being questioned by the parliament members in the Legislative Yuan, that he just disgusts the coward behavior behind his back, and the critique unfair to the preparatory staff.^[9][10] The incident raised the broad society concern on the standard operating procedure practice on the data security breach in the presidential office.^[11]

Publications

• The Making of the Taiwan Relations Act: Twenty Years in Retropect. Oxford University Press, 2000 ISBN 0195922093
• Taiwan in a Transformed World. (co-edited with Robert L. Pfaltzgraff, Jr.) Brassey's Inc., 1995 ISBN 0028811380
• The Legislative Process of the Taiwan Relations Act. Taipei, Feng Yuen Publication, 1988^{[citation needed]}