He was the son of former Minister to the United States Wu Tingfang and philanthropist Ho Miu-ling.

[2] In 1917, he joined Sun Yatsen's Constitution Protection Movement, and in 1918 was made Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[2] In March 1923, Wu became Foreign Affairs Minister in Sun's government-in-exile.

He then served as Minister to the United States from 1928 to 1931, and Representative to the League of Nations in 1929–30.

[2] Wu married Pao Fang-ho, and the couple had eight children.