Politicians mourned the passing of Lee Ying-yuan (李應元), a former representative to Thailand who died of ampullary cancer on Thursday, laudhing him for his lifelong support for Taiwan and democracy.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) extended his condolences to Lee’s family, and praised his spirit and courage.
“Ambassador Lee was highly educated and experienced, and he spent his whole life fighting for Taiwan’s sovereignty and democracy,” Su said.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) thanked Lee in a Facebook post for his hard work as secretary-general of the Executive Yuan in 2002, when You was the premier.
Democratic Progressive Party legislators Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) and Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) remembered Lee as a person who was always enthusiastic, optimistic and warm.
Born in Yunlin County in 1953, Lee earned his bachelor’s degree in public health at National Taiwan University and a master’s degree in healthcare management at Harvard University. In 1988, he received a doctorate in health economics from the University of North Carolina.
He was blacklisted by the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government for advocating Taiwan’s independence while he was in the US.
Lee was among a large number of expatriate pro-independence advocates who returned to Taiwan in the years after martial law was lifted in 1987. He came back in 1990, but was arrested for alleged anti-state activities in 1991 and was imprisoned for nine months.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Vice President William Lai (賴清德) on Thursday praised Lee’s devotion to Taiwan’s democratic movements, with Lai calling him “a brave man who dedicated his life to Taiwan.”
Lee’s political career took off when he won election to the Legislative Yuan in 1995, representing then-Taipei County, and served as a lawmaker until 2000. He ran for Taipei mayor in 2002, but lost to then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
Lee served as labor minister from 2005 to 2007, and as head of the Environmental Protection Administration from 2016 to 2018.
He was appointed as representative to Thailand last year, but resigned and returned home in August this year due to poor health.
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