Biography
Born in Chiayi City in the then Japanese colony of Taiwan, Siew graduated from the Department of Diplomacy at National Chengchi University in 1961, and received a master's degree from the Graduate Institute of International Law and Diplomacy at National Chengchi University in 1965. Although he was accepted to Harvard University, Siew chose to remain in Taiwan heeding his mother's wishes.
He worked at the ROC's Consulate General in Kuala Lumpur from 1966 to 1972. He was named to the Central Committee of the Kuomintang in 1988. He was appointed as Minister of Economic Affairs from 1990 to 1993. As Chairman for Economic Planning Development, he represented President Lee Teng-hui, who was forbidden to attend personally, at the 1993 and 1994 annual APEC leaders' summits.
Siew was elected a member of the Legislative Yuan from 1996 to 1997. He served as Premier from 1997 to 2000. He was the KMT vice-presidential candidate in 2000 on the ticket of Lien Chan.
Siew is married to Susan Chu (朱俶賢 Zhū Shúxián) with three daughters: Ru-ting (蕭如婷), Ru-fen (蕭如芬), and Jhih-you (蕭至佑 Zhìyòu).
Siew is the former chairman of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (Siew submitted his resignation June 24, 2007 after his KMT vice-presidential nomination) and the incumbent Chairman of the Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation . He resigned as KMT vice chairman and all other posts in the party before the December legislative elections. He was criticised by the Pan-Blue Coalition for not taking a greater role in the Lien-Soong campaign and acting as convener for a private group of economic advisers for President Chen Shui-bian.
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