Besides being a professor in the Graduate Institute of Political Science at National Chungshan University, Lin was also drafted into the cabinet three years ago as a vice-chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC). He has received high marks so far for his performance as a scholar-turned-official.
林中斌目前除為中山大學政治學研究所的兼任教授，還在九六年被延攬入閣，擔任行政院大陸委員會副主委的職務，外界對他學者從政的成果也有高度的評價。