Chief of the General Staff Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) was hospitalized early last month for gallstones, but was discharged soon after an operation to remove the stones, the military said yesterday.
Tang's physical condition is perfect after the operation, the Ministry of National Defense said.
Tang was hospitalized on July 7 after complaining about serious physical discomfort, which Tri-Service General Hospital doctors diagnosed as cholecystitis caused by a gallstone, hospital superintendent Major General Chen Hung-yi (陳宏一) said.
Tang underwent an operation on the same day and was dis-charged from the hospital two days later, Chen said.
Chen discussed the specifics of Tang's illness and his operation at a regular defense ministry press conference held at the hospital yesterday.
Tang's illness aroused great concern from people in both military and political circles since he is scheduled to replace Wu Shih-wen (伍世文) as the next defense minister next month.
Chen assured reporters that Tang is in perfect health after the operation.
"General Tang was able to go back to work two days after the operation. The incision made during the operation healed within one week of the operation," Chen said. "The procedure General Tang underwent is basically a minor one."
According to Chen's diagnosis, Tang's planned trip to the US later this month should be able to go ahead as scheduled. The trip would be Tang's second to the US, but his first in his capacity as chief of the general staff. He last visited the US when he was the commander-in-chief of the army.
Tang reportedly plans to discuss a series of projects which the militaries of the two sides have jointly promoted over the past few years. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the trip might be cancelled but not necessarily because of the operation.
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