As a pre-teen from the hills of Lin­nei Towship, Yun­lin County, Jason Lin spent more than two hours walking to and from school every day. In the summer, when afternoon downpours flooded the river valley, he would have to wait another two hours for the water level to fall to calf height before wading through and continuing home. Once he got there, he’d change into his work clothes and begin his chores as the eldest son: feeding the pigs and preparing his younger siblings’ dinner.

Lin was in the fifth grade when his family home finally got electricity, and in middle school when it got running water. His parents worked ­every day of the year, even Lunar New Year’s day. Lin was in high school before he learned how different his classmates’ lives were from his own—they played basketball and marbles, whereas he didn’t know the meaning of the word “play.”

Lin studied hard and did well in school in spite of his family’s poverty. When a supportive homeroom teacher paid his registration fees, he became the only student from his school to test into ­Chang­hua Senior High School. Unfortunately, his family had no money to pay for college after he’d graduated. Instead he moved to Tai­pei, where he worked and studied part time and gained admission to what is now the National Taiwan Ocean University. He then went on to start a business of his own that worked with clients all over the world.

Reflecting on his journey from Yun­lin to Tai­pei and then on to Australia, Lin remarks a little ruefully, “It was poverty that gave me the courage to try things.”

Lin says: “Taiwan is a maritime nation, which means figuring out how to expand into the world outside. Shipping agents operate internationally. Working in the business connects you to the world and its major cities.” He is convinced that Taiwan must reach out to thrive.

Venturing abroad

After getting into the university, Lin instituted his own “three noes” policy: no civil service work, no graduate school, and no study abroad. He resolved instead to learn the ropes in the shipping industry.

He became a shipping agent, helping shippers with import‡export inspections and customs clearance, in addition to managing their ship building, purchasing, and leasing needs. The work also gave him a good look at the bulk carrier market, which led to him taking contracts as a freight broker: helping clients find carriers for their goods and ship owners find cargoes to carry.

When Taiwan’s economy took off, imports of raw materials and exports of manufactured goods became common. Taiwanese exporters generally sought to keep things simple, and did most of their shipping “free on board” (FOB). Under these terms of sale, the seller’s responsibilities end with loading the cargo on a ship at the export port. Beyond that point, any transportation fees and risks are the responsibility of the buyer. In this situation, the foreign buyers were choosing the shippers and all the associated profits went to the foreign agencies they employed. But Lin saw an opportunity in the Taiwan market, and persuaded Taiwanese firms to direct the selection of shippers themselves.

The nature of Lin’s work convinced him that Taiwan’s future depended upon reaching out beyond the island. “Taiwan is a maritime nation, which means we have to figure out ways to expand into the world outside. Shipping agents operate internationally. When you work in the business, you become connected to the world and its major cities.”

Lin founded his own company, MIT Chartering & Agency Co. Ltd., at age 32, after more than a decade working in and around the industry. “A business has to make money, but that’s not the only goal. Shipping agencies must deliver a high level of service, but running an agency well also requires fulfilling its corporate responsibilities, increasing employment opportunities, and attracting new people,” says Lin with some pride.

In 1996, he took a friend’s advice and established an Australian subsidiary. A number of factors influenced the decision, including the strength of Australia’s mining industry, its abundant raw materials, and Melbourne’s standing as a global shipping hub. He also weighed the educational opportunities the country offered his children, and chose to move his entire family there.

Jason Lin (third from left) is the 23rd president of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce. (courtesy of Jason Lin)

Divng into public affairs

What prompted him to get involved in public affairs?

Lin heard old sayings like “return a kindness tenfold” and “thank the trees for their fruit” repeatedly as a boy, but didn’t really get their deeper meaning until he was much older. “It wasn’t until I moved abroad that I realized that Taiwan’s nurturing embrace was what made it possible for me to get into this business and move to Australia,” explains Lin.

When he saw an article in the local Chinese-language newspaper about a Lunar New Year’s banquet being arranged by the Melbourne chapter of the Taiwanese Association of Australia, his gratitude towards Taiwan prompted him to phone the group about participating. He soon began attending other TAA activities, eventually becoming the group’s secretary general and then its chairman. Lin organized a variety of events aimed at bringing the Taiwanese community together, and made a point of inviting members of the national and state parliaments, and the state premier, to attend as well. He then encouraged local Taiwanese to offer contributions and support to candidates for political office as a means of developing the community’s political clout and ensuring that local politicians recognized it. His years of participation in public affairs eventually earned him an award from the premier of Victoria for his contributions to cultural diversity.

Lin’s Christian faith encourages him to be an active participant in events, make donations, and help out his fellow Taiwanese when they are in need, while never asking anything in return. He applied the same principle to his six years as a commissioner on Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), organizing Melbourne’s first Taiwanese Culture Festival to introduce more people to Taiwan and its culture, and working hard to be a bridge between the overseas community and the government.

Jason Lin founded his company, MIT Chartering & Agency, at the age of 32. After moving to Melbourne, Australia, he became an active participant in civic affairs, going on to work on behalf of the overseas community and its Taiwanese businesspeople as secretary general of the city’s chapter of the Taiwanese Association of Australia and then president of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce.

A bridge to Taiwan

When Lin decided to contend for the presidency of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in March of this year, he visited Taiwanese businesses on six continents to gain a better understanding of their situation. His overriding objective in running for the office was to enhance the WTCC’s standing, both internationally and within the overseas compatriot community, in order to win local government protections for the in­vest­ment rights of Taiwanese businesses.

Asked about Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy, Lin offers a positive take on the potential of Southeast-Asian markets, and says that WTCC is planning to help integrate personnel resources via the launch of a platform that connects professionals residing in Southeast Asia or with an interest in the region. Lin also suggests that Taiwanese businesses provide scholarships, similar to the one that enabled him to continue his own studies as a young man, to local young people to cultivate new talent and enhance businesses’ own image. Concerned about changes in the global situation and about passing on the torch to the younger generation, Lin wants to use his tenure at WTCC to strengthen ties between the group and its Junior Chapter (­WTCCJC), which was founded six years ago. He also hopes to provide young entrepreneurs in Taiwan with access to angel investors by bringing them into contact with the WTCCJC.

Elected the 23rd president of the WTCC with the support of Taiwanese businesspeople, Lin believes that the actions of Taiwanese businesses can play an important role in changing Taiwan’s international situation. “Taiwanese businesses around the world ought to do their utmost to fulfill their corporate social responsibilities and build a positive image for themselves,” argues Lin. With that in mind, the WTCC will offer support to Taiwanese businesses, serving as a platform through which they can communicate with local governments, and working with them on Taiwan’s behalf.    

Lin promises that the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce will support Taiwanese businesses, serving as a platform through which they can communicate with local governments, and working with them on Taiwan’s behalf.

Jason Lin and family. (courtesy of Jason Lin)