AMBASSADOR ANDREW L.Y. HSIA

Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), New York

Ambassador Andrew L.Y. Hsia is a distinguished career diplomat with an extensive and diversified experience with the Foreign Service of his country. Since his appointment in 2001 as the Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York, Ambassador Hsia is the official representative of the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan in the States of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Prior to this function, Ambassador Hsia served as Director-General of the Department of International Organizations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, from 1998 to 2001. In addition, he held a number of postings in the diplomatic service of his country, including Senior Official to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), from 1996 to 1998; Deputy Representative in the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ottawa (Canada) from 1996 to 1998; and Director of Secretariat in the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, DC (1994-1996).

Moreover, Ambassador Hsia enjoys a longstanding political experience. From 1989 to 1994, he was the official English Interpreter to several Prime Ministers. From 1982 to 1994, he held different positions within the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, including Deputy Director for Information and Cultural Affairs (1992-1994); Special Assistant to the Political Vice-Minister (1990-1992); Chief of the Administrative Section of the Coordination Council for North American Affairs (1989-1990); and Specialist of North American Affairs (1982-1985).

International Lawyer by training, Mr. Hsia has graduated from Oxford University (England) and published a thesis on the Jurisdictional Problems Arising from Ship-Source Marine Problems. Ambassador Hsia was honored with the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Scholarship and was recipient of the Social Science Scholarship as well as the Sun Yun-Suan Fellowship.

Ambassador Hsia is married to Lisa Cheng and has 2 children.