Yao Jen-to

In this Chinese name, the family name is Yao.

Yao Jen-to (Chinese: 姚人多; pinyin: Yáo Rénduō; born 12 December 1969) is a Taiwanese sociologist and politician who previously served as the vice chairperson and secretary-general of Straits Exchange Foundation from 21 June 2018 to 19 May 2020. He is currently a professor of sociology at National Tsing Hua University.

Yao Jen-to
姚人多
Vice Chairman of Straits Exchange Foundation
In office 21 June 2018 – 19 May 2020
Chairperson	Katharine Chang
Preceded by	Ko Cheng-heng
Secretary-General of Straits Exchange Foundation
In office 21 June 2018 – 19 May 2020
Chairperson	Katharine Chang
Preceded by	Ko Cheng-heng
Deputy Secretary-General to the President
In office 10 August 2016 – 20 June 2018
President	Tsai Ing-wen
Secretary-General	Lin Bih-jaw Liu Chien-sin (acting) Joseph Wu Liu Chien-sin (acting) Chen Chu
Preceded by	Tseng Hou-jen
Personal details
Born	12 December 1969 (1969-12-12) (age 55) Taiwan
Political party	Democratic Progressive Party
Education	National Taiwan University (BA) University of Essex (PhD)

Education

Yao graduated from National Taiwan University with a bachelor's degree in sociology. He then studied for a doctorate in the United Kingdom, where he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Essex in 2002. His doctoral dissertation was titled, "Governing the colonised: Governmentality in the Japanese colonisation of Taiwan, 1895-1945".^[1]

Political career

Yao had been working as a security adviser to President Tsai Ing-wen when, on 10 August 2016, he was appointed deputy secretary-general of the presidential office.^[2] On 20 June 2018 he resigned from the presidential office position and took the role of vice chairperson and secretary-general of Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) the following day as confirmed by SEF spokesperson.