Hau Pei-tsun
Encyclopedia
Hau Pei-tsun was Premier
of the Republic of China
from May 30, 1990 to February 10, 1993 and a 4-star general in the ROC Army.
, Jiangsu
, Hau received a military education from the Chinese Military Academy, Chinese Army University, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the War College, Armed Forces University. Hau was appointed an artillery officer in 1938, and served in the Chinese expeditionary forces in India during World War II
. In the subsequent Chinese Civil War
he was a staff officer.
As commander of the 9th Infantry Division from 1958 to 1961, Hau presided over the 44-day bombardment of Quemoy by the People's Liberation Army
. He commanded the 3rd Corps from 1963 to 1965, served as Chief Aide to Chiang Kai-shek
from 1965 to 1970. He continued his army career as Commander of the 1st Field Army from 1970 to 1973, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the ROC Army from 1975 to 1977, Executive Vice Chief of the General Staff in the Ministry of National Defense from 1977 to 1978, Commander-in-Chief of the ROC Army 1978 to 1981, and Chief of the General Staff in the Ministry of National Defense from 1981 to 1989.
He was a member of the Central Standing Committee of the Kuomintang
from 1984 to 1993 and served as Minister of National Defense from 1989 until 1990 when he was appointed Premier. He was appointed by President Lee Teng-hui
in part to mollify the conservative mainlander faction within the KMT that had threatened to run a rival presidential ticket in the March 1990 election. Hau's appointment sparked protests by those who believed it marked retrogression toward military rule, while President Lee defended his decision by saying he valued Hau's tough stance on crime. As premier he held high approval ratings (even higher than Lee's) - he was tough on crime and promoted a multi-billion-dollar economic development plan to industrialize Taiwan. Hau submitted his resignation in January 1993 after the KMT's poor showing in the 1992 Legislative Yuan
election.
Appointed as one of four vice-chairmen of the KMT in the 14th Party Congress (immediately following the defection of the New Kuomintang Alliance
) in another effort by Lee to pacify the mainlander faction, Hau served from 1993 to 1995.
In the 1996 elections
, he ran for vice-president as an independent on the ticket of Lin Yang-kang
and had his KMT membership "cancelled" (just short of being "expelled"). His party membership was restored in 2005.
He married Kuo Wan-hua and has two sons and three daughters. One of his sons is politician Hau Lung-pin, the former chairman of the New Party
, and incumbent Mayor of Taipei
.
Premier of the Republic of China
The President of the Executive Yuan , commonly known as the Premier of the Republic of China , is the head of the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the Republic of China , which currently administers Taiwan, Matsu, and Kinmen. The premier is appointed by the President of the Republic of China...
of 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...
from May 30, 1990 to February 10, 1993 and a 4-star general in the ROC Army.
Biography
Born to a well-to-do family in YanchengYancheng
Yancheng is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest jurisdiction area in Jiangsu, Yancheng borders Lianyungang to the north, Huai'an to the west, Yangzhou and Taizhou to the southwest, Nantong to the south, and looks out to...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, Hau received a military education from the Chinese Military Academy, Chinese Army University, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the War College, Armed Forces University. Hau was appointed an artillery officer in 1938, and served in the Chinese expeditionary forces in India during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the subsequent Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
he was a staff officer.
As commander of the 9th Infantry Division from 1958 to 1961, Hau presided over the 44-day bombardment of Quemoy by the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
. He commanded the 3rd Corps from 1963 to 1965, served as Chief Aide to Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
from 1965 to 1970. He continued his army career as Commander of the 1st Field Army from 1970 to 1973, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the ROC Army from 1975 to 1977, Executive Vice Chief of the General Staff in the Ministry of National Defense from 1977 to 1978, Commander-in-Chief of the ROC Army 1978 to 1981, and Chief of the General Staff in the Ministry of National Defense from 1981 to 1989.
He was a member of the Central Standing Committee of the 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...
from 1984 to 1993 and served as Minister of National Defense from 1989 until 1990 when he was appointed Premier. He was appointed by President Lee Teng-hui
Lee Teng-hui
Lee Teng-hui is a politician of the Republic of China . He was the 7th, 8th, and 9th-term President of the Republic of China and Chairman of the Kuomintang from 1988 to 2000. He presided over major advancements in democratic reforms including his own re-election which marked the first direct...
in part to mollify the conservative mainlander faction within the KMT that had threatened to run a rival presidential ticket in the March 1990 election. Hau's appointment sparked protests by those who believed it marked retrogression toward military rule, while President Lee defended his decision by saying he valued Hau's tough stance on crime. As premier he held high approval ratings (even higher than Lee's) - he was tough on crime and promoted a multi-billion-dollar economic development plan to industrialize Taiwan. Hau submitted his resignation in January 1993 after the KMT's poor showing in the 1992 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...
election.
Appointed as one of four vice-chairmen of the KMT in the 14th Party Congress (immediately following the defection of the New Kuomintang Alliance
New Kuomintang Alliance
The New Kuomintang Alliance was a faction of Kuomintang in the Republic of China on Taiwan, active late 20th century. Composed of mainly younger mainlanders, this faction was in favour of interparty reform. It accused President Lee Teng-hui of autocratic tendencies and complained that the KMT was...
) in another effort by Lee to pacify the mainlander faction, Hau served from 1993 to 1995.
In the 1996 elections
ROC presidential election, 1996
The election of the ninth-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China was the first ever direct presidential election in the ROC on Taiwan; it occurred on 23 March, 1996...
, he ran for vice-president as an independent on the ticket of Lin Yang-kang
Lin Yang-kang
Lin Yang-kang is a politician in the Republic of China .-Biography:Born in Nantou County, Taiwan, Lin graduated from National Taiwan University with a bachelor of science degree...
and had his KMT membership "cancelled" (just short of being "expelled"). His party membership was restored in 2005.
He married Kuo Wan-hua and has two sons and three daughters. One of his sons is politician Hau Lung-pin, the former chairman of the New Party
New Party (Republic of China)
The New Party, formerly the Chinese New Party , is a centre-right conservative political party in the Republic of China , and part of the pan-blue coalition....
, and incumbent Mayor of Taipei
Mayor of Taipei
The Mayor of Taipei is elected to a four-year term. Former Presidents Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian have all held this position prior to being elected President.It was an appointed position from 1967 to 1994...
.