Early on he returned to his hometown to promote the establishment of cooperative businesses and farms. After this effort was thwarted by certain financial interests, he turned to politics. He served first in the county assembly, and then for four terms in the Legislative Yuan. Upon becoming minister of the CIP he at once began promoting self-government for Aboriginal tribal communities, seeing this as an important stepping stone to overall Aboriginal self-government.
來自泰雅族的瓦歷斯．貝林，曾任天主教神父，早年回鄉推動合作社、合作農場卻受財團擠壓受挫，轉而投身政壇，歷任縣議員、4 屆立法委員，就任主委後即先從「部落自治」著手，他認為這是原住民族走向自治的重要基石。