American wins draw to become Lienchiang magistrate for 1 day

Josh Wenger, a New Yorker pursuing his doctoral degree at the National Taiwan University Graduate Institute of National Development in Taipei, entered the draw under his Chinese name Wen Chia-shu, so officials were not immediately aware that the winner was foreign, although the draw was open to every participant who was able to answer at least eight out of 10 questions on Matsu, the main island of Lienchiang County.

Wenger visited Matsu Monday, where he was greeted by the real Lienchiang magistrate, Chen Hsueh-sheng, now serving his second term in office. “Matsu is really beautiful, I hope I can be a special envoy to promote Matsu and attract more foreigners to visit,” Wenger said in fluent Chinese while responding to a fake question-and-answer session at County Hall.

In addition to attending the session, Wenger also visited the county's major construction sites and sightseeing spots. The county's Project Planning Office said the winner of the “magistrate for a day” contest is required to share his experience of Matsu on the county's Web site and blog to give more people a better understanding of the changes and development on Matsu over the years.

The event, designed to promote Matsu at very limited cost, was declared a success and the county government will consider a similar event next year, according to county officials.

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