Feng Shih-kuan

Taiwanese politician (born 1945)
馮世寬
Official portrait, 2019
4th Minister of the Veterans Affairs Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 August 2019Prime MinisterSu Tseng-chang
Chen Chien-jenPreceded byLee Wen-chung (acting)32nd Minister of National DefenseIn office
20 May 2016 – 23 February 2018Prime MinisterLin Chuan
William LaiPreceded byKao Kuang-chiSucceeded byYen Teh-fa Personal detailsBorn (1945-11-25) 25 November 1945 (age 78)
Huai-yin, Kiangsu, Republic of ChinaNationalityTaiwanPolitical partyIndependentOther political
affiliationsKuomintang (until 2016)Alma materRepublic of China Air Force Academy
University of Southern California
Armed Forces UniversityMilitary serviceBranch/serviceRepublic of China Air ForceYears of service1967－2006RankGeneral

Feng Shih-kuan (Chinese: 馮世寬; pinyin: Féng Shìkuān; born 25 November 1945) is a Taiwanese politician. He served in the Republic of China Air Force from 1967 to 2006, retiring with the rank of General before assuming the post of Minister of National Defense in 2016. Feng stepped down in 2018 and was succeeded by Yen Teh-fa.

Education

Feng completed his education at the Chinese Air Preparatory School of the Ministry of National Defense in 1963. He graduated from the Republic of China Air Force Academy in 1967. In 1977, he obtained his Flight Safety Officer Class from the University of Southern California in the United States. In 1981, he completed his study from the Armed Forces University in the Chinese Air Command and Staff College in 1981 and in the Chinese War College in 1988.[1]

Non-military career

Feng joined Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation as company chairman on 2 May 2006. He was hired to oversee the completion of upgrades to the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo, which had been ongoing for seven years and cost NT$7 billion.[2]

Ministry of National Defense

Feng was named Minister of National Defense in April 2016, a month before the Tsai Ing-wen administration was to take office.[3][4] For accepting a post in a Democratic Progressive Party-led government, the Kuomintang suspended Feng's membership.[5][6] Subsequently, Feng withdrew from the Kuomintang.[7]

Cross–Strait relations

Speaking at the Foreign and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan on 23 May 2016, Feng said that he would not support the Taiwan independence movement.[8][9]

At 8:15 a.m. on 1 July, a Hsiung Feng III missile was inadvertently launched from a corvette docked at Zuoying Military Harbor.[10] The strike hit the Taiwanese fishing boat Hsiang Li Sheng, killing the captain and injuring three of his crew.[11] Feng arrived in Kaohsiung to deliver a personal apology to the fisherman's family the next day, but it was rejected.[12] Zhang Zhijun, leader of the Taiwan Affairs Office, also asked for Taipei to adequately explain the incident,[13] which was placed under investigation.[14]

Later political career

Feng resigned as defense minister on 23 February 2018, and was replaced by Yen Teh-fa.[15] Subsequently, Feng was appointed the founding director of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, established in May.[16][17] On 5 August 2019, Yeh took office as minister of the Veterans Affairs Council,[18] succeeding Chiu Kuo-cheng, who had been named director-general of the National Security Bureau.[19][20]

References

  1. ^ "Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan)".
  2. ^ Tzou, Jiing-wen (6 March 2017). "INTERVIEW: Defense minister explains aircraft program". Taipei Times. Translated by Chin, Jonathan; Hetherington, William. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Lin taps future heads of defense, foreign affairs". Taipei Times.
  4. ^ "New Taiwan appointments spotlight China ties, homegrown defense aims". Reuters. 15 April 2016.
  5. ^ Strong, Matthew (24 May 2016). "KMT suspends 4 government officials". Taiwan News. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  6. ^ Hsiao, Alison (22 June 2016). "Wang downplays talk about taking top post at SEF". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  7. ^ "國黨籍政務官-李大維等3人停權-馮世寬退黨" (in Chinese). Formosa Television. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2018 – via Yahoo! Taiwan.
  8. ^ "'I would not support Taiwan independence': defense minister". China Post.
  9. ^ "New minister's comments on independence draw fire". Taipei Times.
  10. ^ "Probe after missile blunder in Strait". Taipei Times. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  11. ^ Pan, Jason (2 July 2016). "Fisherman killed in missile mishap". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Minister apologizes to family". Taipei Times. 3 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  13. ^ "China seeks explanation for navy missile launch". Taipei Times. 3 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  14. ^ Pan, Jason (3 July 2016). "Judicial probe into missile launch continues". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  15. ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan; Joseph, Yeh (23 February 2018). "Yen chosen as new defense minister for his experience: official". Central News Agency. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  16. ^ Yen, Joseph (26 February 2018). "Feng steps down as defense minister, to take helm at think tank". Central News Agency. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  17. ^ Yu, Matt; Kao, Evelyn (1 May 2018). "Government-funded security think tank launched". Central News Agency. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  18. ^ "Former Defense Minister to head Veterans Affairs Council". Taiwan News. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  19. ^ Ku, Chuan; Kao, Evelyn (5 August 2019). "Ex-defense minister appointed to head Veterans Affairs Council". Central News Agency. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Feng appointed Veterans Affairs Council minister". Taipei Times. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
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