Straits Exchange Foundation
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The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF; Template:Zh; often abbreviated as 海基會) is a semiofficial organization set up by the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to handle civil and business matters with the People's Republic of China (PRC). Though technically a private organization, it is funded by the government and under the supervision of the Mainland Affairs Council of the Executive Yuan. Its role is effectively to function as the de facto embassy to the PRC, as a means of avoiding acknowledgement of the PRC's statehood status.
Its counterpart in the PRC is the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS).
History
Business and civil activities across Taiwan Strait resumed when the armed conflict between the two side ceased after the end of the Cold War. Due to the complexity of the political and legal status of cross-strait relations and lack of contact between the two opposing governments during the conflict, the ROC government had to create an intermediary body from the private sector to deal with cross-strait matters. Thus on 9 March 1991, the SEF was formally established with the help of the government and private sector funds.
At the same time, the PRC government established ARATS. The creation of these two offices facilitate a new stage in cross-strait relations after they had been virtually non-existent for almost 50 years since the establishment of PRC.[1]
Organization structure
- Department of Cultural Affairs
- Department of Economic Affairs
- Department of Legal Affairs
- Department of Planning and Public Affairs
- Secretariat
- Personnel Office
- Accounting Office[2]
List of chairpersons
| No. | Name | Term of Office | Days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 1 | Koo Chen-fu Script error: No such module "Lang". |
21 November 1990 | 3 January 2005Template:NoteTag | Script error: No such module "age".Template:NoteTag |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | — | Johnnason Liu[3] Script error: No such module "Lang". |
3 January 2005 | 10 June 2005 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 2 | Chang Chun-hsiung Script error: No such module "Lang". |
10 June 2005 | 21 May 2007 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 3 | Hung Chi-chang Script error: No such module "Lang". |
12 July 2007 | 19 May 2008 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 4 | Chiang Pin-kung Script error: No such module "Lang". |
26 May 2008 | 27 September 2012 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 5 | Lin Join-sane Script error: No such module "Lang". |
27 September 2012 | 20 May 2016 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | — | Chen Ter-shing Script error: No such module "Lang". |
20 May 2016 | 12 September 2016 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 6 | Tien Hung-mao Script error: No such module "Lang". |
12 September 2016 | 27 March 2018 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 7 | Katharine Chang Script error: No such module "Lang". |
27 March 2018 | 5 June 2020 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 8 | David Lee Script error: No such module "Lang". |
5 June 2020 | 3 August 2020 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | — | Template:Ill Script error: No such module "Lang". |
28 August 2020 | 13 February 2023 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 8 | David Lee Script error: No such module "Lang". |
14 February 2023 | 7 June 2024 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 9 | Cheng Wen-tsan Script error: No such module "Lang". |
7 June 2024 | 7 July 2024 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | — | Rock Hsu Script error: No such module "Lang". |
18 July 2024 | 3 November 2024 | Script error: No such module "age". |
| style="background:Template:Party color; color:black;" | 10 | Frank Wu Script error: No such module "Lang". |
4 November 2024 | Incumbent | Script error: No such module "age". |
SEF branch office in Mainland China
On 11 April 2013, the Executive Yuan approved a bill to open SEF branch offices in Mainland China. In the initial announcement, three offices were planned.[4]
SEF building
The current SEF building in Beian Road originated since its groundbreaking construction on 25 September 2010 when its ceremony was presided over by then SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung. On 31 March 2012, the finished constructed building was refurbished and SEF started to move there on 4 April 2012 from their old rented office building on Minsheng East Road. The new building was opened for service on 9 April 2012. On 18 May 2012, President Ma Ying-jeou presided over the building's official opening ceremony.[5]
The SEF building is adjacent to Dazhi Station of the Taipei Metro on the Brown Line.