Mark Chen
Encyclopedia
Mark Chen Tang-shan born September 16, 1935, in Tainan County
(now part of Tainan City), Taiwan
, is a Taiwanese
politician, former Secretary-General of the Office of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) under ex-President Chen Shui-bian
. He was also previously Foreign Minister of the ROC from 2004 to 2006 (the first Democratic Progressive Party
member to occupy the position). He had worked for the Federal government of the United States
.
movement when he was studying in the United States
. In 1970, he organized the World United Formosans for Independence
. After the establishment of the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations
(世界臺灣同鄉會聯合會), Chen Tang-shan became its president from 1979 to 1984.
Because of his political views, during this time Chen was put on a Kuomintang
black list, and was unable to return to Taiwan
. He was allowed to return in 1987. In 1992, two years after his return, Chen joined the Democratic Progressive Party
and was elected a member of the Legislative Yuan
. In December 1993, He was nominated the candidate of Tainan County Magistrate by the DPP and was elected. He was reelected again in 1997 with 66% of the vote.
In 2001, Chen returned to the Legislative Yuan as a representative of Tainan County
. He became the Republic of China's thirty-second Foreign Minister in 2004. After Frank Hsieh
resigned his Premiership and a subsequent cabinet shuffle, Chen became the Secretary of the Presidential Office.
and DPP chairperson Yu Shyi-kun
were also indicted on corruption charges on the same day.
Tainan County
Tainan County was located in southern Taiwan. The name "Tainan" means "Southern Taiwan". Formerly a county of the Republic of China , Tainan County was merged with Tainan City at the end of 2010 to form a single special municipality....
(now part of Tainan City), Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, is a Taiwanese
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
politician, former Secretary-General of the Office of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) under ex-President Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
. He was also previously Foreign Minister of the ROC from 2004 to 2006 (the first Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
member to occupy the position). He had worked for the Federal government of the United States
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
.
Entry into politics
Chen became part of the Taiwan independenceTaiwan independence
Taiwan independence is a political movement whose goals are primarily to formally establish the Republic of Taiwan by renaming or replacing the Republic of China , form a Taiwanese national identity, reject unification and One country, two systems with the People's Republic of China and a Chinese...
movement when he was studying in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1970, he organized the World United Formosans for Independence
World United Formosans for Independence
The World United Formosans for Independence , also known as WUFI, is an organization promoting Taiwan independence. It was established in 1970 by like-minded organizations in Canada, the U.S., Japan, Europe, and Taiwan...
. After the establishment of the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations
World Federation of Taiwanese Associations
World Federation of Taiwanese Associations is an organization promoting Taiwan independence....
(世界臺灣同鄉會聯合會), Chen Tang-shan became its president from 1979 to 1984.
Because of his political views, during this time Chen was put on a Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
black list, and was unable to return to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. He was allowed to return in 1987. In 1992, two years after his return, Chen joined the Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
and was elected a member of the Legislative Yuan
Legislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
. In December 1993, He was nominated the candidate of Tainan County Magistrate by the DPP and was elected. He was reelected again in 1997 with 66% of the vote.
In 2001, Chen returned to the Legislative Yuan as a representative of Tainan County
Tainan County
Tainan County was located in southern Taiwan. The name "Tainan" means "Southern Taiwan". Formerly a county of the Republic of China , Tainan County was merged with Tainan City at the end of 2010 to form a single special municipality....
. He became the Republic of China's thirty-second Foreign Minister in 2004. After Frank Hsieh
Frank Hsieh
Frank Hsieh Chang-ting is a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party in the Republic of China. He was the mayor of Kaohsiung City until his appointment as President of the Executive Yuan by president Chen Shui-bian on February 1, 2005. He announced his resignation from the post of...
resigned his Premiership and a subsequent cabinet shuffle, Chen became the Secretary of the Presidential Office.
Alleged corruption charges
On September 21, 2007, Chen faced charges of using false receipts to write off expenses from a special governmental account; the alleged misuse involved 368,199 Taiwan dollars (12,454 USD) during his time as foreign minister and presidential secretary general between July 2004 and June 2006. Vice President Annette LuAnnette Lu
Annette Lu Hsiu-lien , was the Vice President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008, under Chen Shui-bian. She announced her intentions to run for President of Taiwan on March 6, 2007, but withdrew in order to support DPP presidential nominee, Frank Hsieh...
and DPP chairperson Yu Shyi-kun
Yu Shyi-kun
Yu Shyi-kun , a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party, is a former chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan. He previously served as Premier of the Republic of China from 2002 to 2005...
were also indicted on corruption charges on the same day.