'MOST DIFFICULT JOB'
Months-long anti-government protests in Hong Kong have provided a lesson for Taiwan, said Wu, who has been a vocal supporter of democracy in the Asian financial hub.
The protests in the former British colony have posed the biggest populist challenge to Xi since he came to power in 2012.
"People here understand that there's something wrong (with)the way the 'one country, two systems' model is run in Hong Kong...Taiwan people don't like to be in the same situation," Wu said.
Beijing has repeatedly proposed to rule Taiwan under a "one country, two systems" formula similar to that prevailing in Hong Kong, guaranteeing certain freedoms, but the island has shown no interest in being run by autocratic China.
Wu vowed to help Hong Kong people "striving for freedom and democracy", promising that, if needed, Taiwan would "provide some assistance to them on an individual basis".
He did not elaborate, except for saying Taiwan would not intervene in the protests.
Wu, who described his post as "the most difficult ministerial job in the world," has seen five countries switch diplomatic ties to China, whose complaints also drove many global firms to alter their descriptions of Taiwan.
"Acknowledging that Taiwan is part of China in exchange for some diplomatic space - I believe such a condition is unacceptable," Wu said. "Taiwan's diplomacy shouldn't be outsourced to China."
China could snatch more of Taiwan's remaining 15 diplomatic allies, Wu added, in a bid to influence the elections, at which Tsai is seeking re-election.
"We are working closely with the United States and other like-minded countries to make sure the switch of diplomatic relations doesn't happen again."
Washington has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help defend it.
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