Winston Wong
Encyclopedia
Winston Wen-Yang Wong is the eldest son of Wang Yung-ching
, chair of the Formosa Plastics Group
(FPG), by his second wife. Wong is now a widower with a son and a daughter after his wife succumbed to stomach cancer in 2007. Wong holds degrees in physics
, applied optics
, and chemical engineering
from Imperial College London
. His English name was chosen during his study in the United Kingdom
.
of the University of California, Berkeley
. While in the United States, Wong met Jiang Mianheng
, son of Jiang Zemin
, the president of the PRC
at that time.
In 2000, Wong and Jiang Mianheng co-founded the US$1.63 billion Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. joint venture in Shanghai
, China
. Though Wong serves as president and CEO of that company, Wong himself is not a stockholder, due to cross-strait investment restrictions imposed by the Republic of China
(ROC). Wong also serves as chair of the Hung Jen Group (宏仁集團) and chair of the Grace THW Group (宏仁企业集团), which are heavily invested in mainland China’s petrochemical and electronics industries, respectively.
, who is also his advisee. Lu publicly announced her love for the married man and, it was reported that she wrote a long letter to patriarch Wang Yung-ching requesting to join the family as his son’s concubine. Wang refused. The scandal died down after Wong left for California
in December 1995. Lu is currently working in Hung Jen Group as Wong's personal assistant and have given birth to a son.
In 1998, Wong paid NT$3.2 million to Jo Jo Lin (林爰君), a woman who had approached Wong in 1996 on the pretext of wanting to invest in his Hung Jen Group. Wong, who was married at this time, paid that sum in an attempt to keep silent her claims that he had fathered a child by her and then abandoned them. When she went public anyway, Wong successfully sued her for blackmail
and for damaging his reputation. Lin was found guilty of both charges, sentenced to 17 months in jail, and ordered to pay Wong NT$5.2 million in damages. Neither penalty was served, however, as Lin has been in hiding since March 2001. Wong also won a slander suit against Power News, for the unsubstantiated reports it published during this scandal.
Committee on Government Reform investigated a 21 June 1995 White House
coffee reception at which Wong met then-president Bill Clinton
. According to a ledger entry made by Clinton’s assistant, Harold Ickes
, Wong pledged at that time to donate US$100,000 to the Democratic National Committee
(DNC). Records show that the money was not received. However, Charlie Trie, the man who had obtained the invitation for Wong, delivered a $50,000 donation to the DNC the following day and testified before the House Committee that he was reimbursed by Wong’s associates. Trie has since pled guilty to transferring corporate contributions to the DNC in violation of campaign finance
laws. This has raised suspicion that Wong may have sought a quid pro quo
in the form of waived environmental regulations for FPG interests in the U.S. The matter was investigated but Wong did not face prosecution.
In November 2000, People First Party Legislator
Chin Huei-chu accused Wong of coordinating a PRC bribe worth US$4.5 million for the benefit of President
Chen Shui-bian
. Investigations by the ROC National Security Bureau found no evidence to confirm her charges, and Wong sued the legislator for libel.
In August 2002 Neil Bush
, the brother of President George W. Bush
, signed a 5-year consulting contract with Grace Semiconductor, reportedly at Wong’s request. This contract, worth a total of $2 million in company stock, came despite Bush’s admission that he possesses “absolutely no educational background in semiconductors.” No wrongdoing has been alleged but some have questioned the propriety of this deal, especially in light of Wong’s investments in the educational software firm that Bush co-founded.
and Andrew Moon. The Expedition will travel 3,600 miles across Antarctica, from Patriot Hills on the west coast to the South Pole, heading north from there through the Trans-Antarctic Mountain Range, down the Leverett Glacier
and across the Ross Ice Shelf
to the coast at McMurdo.
The Expedition has partnered with Imperial College London
to carry out a wide range of scientific objectives. The team is travelling in three vehicles across Antarctica, including two mobile laboratories and the Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle (WWBIV). The WWBIV will be the first bio-fuelled vehicle on Antarctica to endeavour to reach the Geographic South Pole.
Wang Yung-ching
Wang Yung-ching was an influential entrepreneur who founded a large business empire in Taiwan. According to the 2008 Forbes survey, he was the 178th richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of US$5.5 billion...
, chair of the Formosa Plastics Group
Formosa Plastics Group
Formosa Plastics Group is a Taiwanese conglomerate of diverse interests, including biotechnology, petrochemical processing and production of electronics components...
(FPG), by his second wife. Wong is now a widower with a son and a daughter after his wife succumbed to stomach cancer in 2007. Wong holds degrees in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, applied optics
Optics
Optics is the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behavior of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light...
, and chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
from Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
. His English name was chosen during his study in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Career
Wong was executive vice president of Nan Ya Plastics, an FPG subsidiary, until a widely publicized affair (and the resulting 14% drop in FPG stocks) led to his dismissal in December 1995. His father then “banished” Wong to the United States, where he spent one year teaching at the business schoolHaas School of Business
The Walter A. Haas School of Business, also known as the Haas School of Business or simply Haas, is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley....
of the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. While in the United States, Wong met Jiang Mianheng
Jiang Mianheng
Jiang Mianheng is the son of Jiang Zemin, former General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of the People's Republic of China. Jiang is one of the co-founders of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation , located in Shanghai. He holds a PhD in Electrical...
, son of Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
, the president of the PRC
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
at that time.
In 2000, Wong and Jiang Mianheng co-founded the US$1.63 billion Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. joint venture in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Though Wong serves as president and CEO of that company, Wong himself is not a stockholder, due to cross-strait investment restrictions imposed by the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(ROC). Wong also serves as chair of the Hung Jen Group (宏仁集團) and chair of the Grace THW Group (宏仁企业集团), which are heavily invested in mainland China’s petrochemical and electronics industries, respectively.
Scandals involving women
In 1995, Wong was “banished” to the United States by his father following months of media attention concerning his affair with Annie Lu (呂安妮), a 27-year-old doctoral student at National Taiwan UniversityNational Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
, who is also his advisee. Lu publicly announced her love for the married man and, it was reported that she wrote a long letter to patriarch Wang Yung-ching requesting to join the family as his son’s concubine. Wang refused. The scandal died down after Wong left for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in December 1995. Lu is currently working in Hung Jen Group as Wong's personal assistant and have given birth to a son.
In 1998, Wong paid NT$3.2 million to Jo Jo Lin (林爰君), a woman who had approached Wong in 1996 on the pretext of wanting to invest in his Hung Jen Group. Wong, who was married at this time, paid that sum in an attempt to keep silent her claims that he had fathered a child by her and then abandoned them. When she went public anyway, Wong successfully sued her for blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
and for damaging his reputation. Lin was found guilty of both charges, sentenced to 17 months in jail, and ordered to pay Wong NT$5.2 million in damages. Neither penalty was served, however, as Lin has been in hiding since March 2001. Wong also won a slander suit against Power News, for the unsubstantiated reports it published during this scandal.
Scandals involving foreign politicians
In 1996 and 1997, the United States Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the HouseUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Committee on Government Reform investigated a 21 June 1995 White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
coffee reception at which Wong met then-president Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. According to a ledger entry made by Clinton’s assistant, Harold Ickes
Harold M. Ickes
Harold McEwen Ickes was White House Deputy Chief of Staff for President Bill Clinton. He is the son of Harold L. Ickes, who was Secretary of the Interior under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ickes is a graduate of Stanford University and Columbia Law School. Ickes was a student civil rights activist in...
, Wong pledged at that time to donate US$100,000 to the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
(DNC). Records show that the money was not received. However, Charlie Trie, the man who had obtained the invitation for Wong, delivered a $50,000 donation to the DNC the following day and testified before the House Committee that he was reimbursed by Wong’s associates. Trie has since pled guilty to transferring corporate contributions to the DNC in violation of campaign finance
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
laws. This has raised suspicion that Wong may have sought a quid pro quo
Quid pro quo
Quid pro quo most often means a more-or-less equal exchange or substitution of goods or services. English speakers often use the term to mean "a favour for a favour" and the phrases with almost identical meaning include: "give and take", "tit for tat", "this for that", and "you scratch my back,...
in the form of waived environmental regulations for FPG interests in the U.S. The matter was investigated but Wong did not face prosecution.
In November 2000, People First Party Legislator
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...
Chin Huei-chu accused Wong of coordinating a PRC bribe worth US$4.5 million for the benefit of President
President of the Republic of China
The President of the Republic of China is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Republic of China . The Republic of China was founded on January 1, 1912, to govern all of China...
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...
. Investigations by the ROC National Security Bureau found no evidence to confirm her charges, and Wong sued the legislator for libel.
In August 2002 Neil Bush
Neil Bush
Neil Mallon Bush is the fourth of six children of former President George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Bush . His five siblings are George Walker Bush, the former President of the United States; Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida; Robin Bush, who died of leukemia in 1953 at the age of...
, the brother of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, signed a 5-year consulting contract with Grace Semiconductor, reportedly at Wong’s request. This contract, worth a total of $2 million in company stock, came despite Bush’s admission that he possesses “absolutely no educational background in semiconductors.” No wrongdoing has been alleged but some have questioned the propriety of this deal, especially in light of Wong’s investments in the educational software firm that Bush co-founded.
Moon Regan TransAntarctic Expedition Sponsorship
In June 2010, Winston Wong agreed to be the main sponsor of the Moon Regan Trans-Antarctic Expedition led by Andrew ReganAndrew Regan
Andrew Regan is a British-born polar explorer and entrepreneur. He is the chief executive officer of Corvus Capital, an investment company.-Personal life:...
and Andrew Moon. The Expedition will travel 3,600 miles across Antarctica, from Patriot Hills on the west coast to the South Pole, heading north from there through the Trans-Antarctic Mountain Range, down the Leverett Glacier
Leverett Glacier
Leverett Glacier in Antarctica is about 80 km long and 4 to 6 km wide, draining northward from the Watson Escarpment, between the California and Stanford Plateaus, and then trending WNW between the Tapley Mountains and Harold Byrd Mountains to terminate at the head of the Ross Ice Shelf...
and across the Ross Ice Shelf
Ross Ice Shelf
The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica . It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than 600 km long, and between 15 and 50 metres high above the water surface...
to the coast at McMurdo.
The Expedition has partnered with Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
to carry out a wide range of scientific objectives. The team is travelling in three vehicles across Antarctica, including two mobile laboratories and the Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle (WWBIV). The WWBIV will be the first bio-fuelled vehicle on Antarctica to endeavour to reach the Geographic South Pole.