Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) sent a message noting his concern yesterday via Taiwan's liaison office in the US state of Hawaii to the family of Chang Hsueh-liang (張學良), who is known for his role in the 1936 Xian Incident (西安事變) and who recently checked into a hospital there for treatment of an undisclosed illness.
Chang expressed his concern via Taiwan's representative office in Hawaii, wishing the 101-year-old "Young Marshal" a speedy recovery and a long life.
Chang Hsueh-liang's son refuted recent news reports that said that the "Young Marshal" was in critical condition and that his son had refused to consent to the use of life-support devices to keep his father alive.
Chang's son sent an open letter Thursday announcing that, although his father is currently in the intensive care unit of a Honolulu hospital, his condition is stable and he does not require a respirator.
Premier Chang, who paid a visit to Chang Hsueh-liang at Chang's Honolulu residence in early September on his way home after a four-nation official tour to the Eastern Caribbean, recalled that the marshal was in good health at the time, except for a hearing problem.
The premier recalled that Chang, a devout Christian, was in high spirits during last time he saw him and even composed a poem right on the spot as a gift to him.
Chang Hsueh-liang, son of northeastern Chinese warlord Chang Tso-lin (張作霖), played a key role in the kidnapping of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (
Chang Hsueh-liang, who along with his father possessed important military and business influence in northern China at the time, became a pivotal figure in Chinese politics on Dec. 29, 1928, when he pledged allegiance to the Nationalist government under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek.
But the incident he is best known for took place on Dec. 12, 1936, when Chiang flew to Xian to order Chang and army general Yang Hu-cheng (楊虎城) to attack the Chinese communists. However, Chang instead detained Chiang. It was not until two weeks later, with the nation clamoring for Chiang's release, that the generalissimo was freed.
Chang lived under virtual house arrest for nearly half a century after moving to Taiwan along with the ROC government in 1949. He regained his freedom only after President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) democratized the nation.
Chang and his wife moved to Hawaii in 1993 and have lived in seclusion since. He and his wife, who died several years ago, went to church, listened to Chinese opera and played mahjong, but always stayed away from the media.
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