More than 200 politicians and social celebrities attended a celebration party in Taipei yesterday for former premier Sun Yun-suan (孫運璿) to wish him many happy returns on his 90th birthday.
Two influential opposition political figures -- KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
As a trained engineer, Sun came to Taiwan from China in 1945 to work at Taiwan Power Co, a public utility which had just been handed over by the Japanese colonial rulers to the ROC government.
Before being named premier in 1978 by then-president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國), Sun had served as minister of transportation and communications and then as minister of economic affairs. His dedicated service and professionalism won him much respect from the people of Taiwan. He was once regarded as heir apparent to Chiang, but he suffered a stroke during a legislative interpellation session in 1984, ending his political career.
Although Sun is confined to a wheelchair, he is still concerned about the domestic political situation and economic development, his family said.
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who paid a visit to Sun on Friday to wish him a happy birthday, said in a statement from the Presidential Office that Sun's contributions to and influence on the nation's political situation were not diminished by the fact that he has left the political front lines. Chen added that the people's respect and admiration for Sun would not diminish over time.
Yesterday's party was organized by the KMT as well as Sun's friends and former colleagues. Among the well-wishers at the gathering were former premier Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村), former Examination Yuan presidents Chiu Chuang-huan (邱創煥) and Hsu Shui-teh (許水德), Control Yuan President Fredrick Chien (錢復), and Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman C. F. Koo (辜振甫).
In a speech, Lien said that Sun was the model for a benevolent man. Lien also said that since Sun arrived in Taiwan he has never doubted that Taiwan was his home country, and he has fully accepted the local population and brought great contributions to Taiwan.
RSS