Lee Yuan-tsu explained

Lee Yuan-tsu
Native Name Lang:zh-tw
Order1:6th
Office1:Vice President of the Republic of China
Term Start1:20 May 1990
Term End1:19 May 1996
President1:Lee Teng-hui
Predecessor1:Lee Teng-hui
Successor1:Lien Chan
Office2:Secretary-General to the President
President2:Lee Teng-hui
Deputy2:Cheyne J. Y. Chiu
Term Start2:18 October 1988
Term End2:19 May 1990
Predecessor2:Shen Chang-huan
Successor2:Chiang Yen-si
Office3:Minister of Justice
Term Start3:30 May 1978
Term End3:1 June 1984
Premier3:Hsu Ching-chung (acting)
Sun Yun-suan
Predecessor3:Wang Daoyuan (汪道淵)
Successor3:Shih Chi-yang
Office4:Minister of Education
Premier4:Chiang Ching-kuo
Hsu Ching-chung (acting)
Term Start4:19 April 1974
Term End4:29 May 1978
Predecessor4:Chiang Yen-si (蔣彥士)
Successor4:Chu Hui-sen (朱匯森)
Birth Date:24 September 1923
Birth Place:Pingjiang, Yueyang, Hunan, Republic of China
Death Place:Toufen, Miaoli, Taiwan
Nationality:Republic of China
Party:KMT
Spouse:Xu Manyun (c.1948— January 1998)
Alma Mater:National Chengchi University
University of Bonn

Lee Yuan-tsu (; 24 September 1923 — 8 March 2017), was a Kuomintang politician who served under Lee Teng-hui as the eighth Vice President of the Republic of China.[1] He was of Hakka ancestry.

Early life

His family was Hakka, with origin in Meixian, Guangdong. But he was born in Pingjiang, Hunan

Lee obtained his bachelor's degree in law and politics from National Chengchi University in Nanjing in 1946. He retreated to Taiwan from Mainland China in 1949 after the end of Chinese Civil War with the National Revolutionary Army. He obtained his doctoral degree from University of Bonn in Germany in 1963.[2]

Political career

Lee entered politics in 1969 when he became a legal consultant for the Ministry of National Defense. He served as Minister of Education from 1974 to 1978, then Minister of Justice until 1984 and Secretary-General to the President between 1988 and 1990.[2]

He was nominated by Lee Teng-hui to be the Vice President of the Republic of China after the death of President Chiang Ching-kuo in 1988. In 1989, President Lee stated that his vice president must be a Mainland Chinese. Eventually Lee Yuan-tsu was elected as the Vice President by the National Assembly on 21 March 1990, becoming the last vice president to be elected by the National Assembly before the introduction of direct presidential and vice presidential elections in Taiwan afterwards. He took office on 20 May 1990 serving until 19 May 1996.[3]

Retirement

After retiring from politics in 1996, Lee resumed his teaching position at National Chengchi University. His wife died in 1998. Eventually, he moved to Toufen in Miaoli County, where he lived a low-profile life.[4]

Death

In his later life, Lee started to develop kidney problems which he treated with dialysis.[5] Weeks before his death, Lee had stopped eating and depended on nutritional injection only.[4] He told his medical team that he wished to die with dignity and rejected resuscitation.[3] Lee died of kidney failure at 4:15 a.m. on 8 March 2017, aged 93, in his home in Miaoli County.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Li Yuan-tsu. Ministry of Education. 2010-07-26.
  2. Web site: Ex-Vice President Lee Yuan-tsu dies at 94. Stephanie. Chao. 9 March 2017. China Post. 9 March 2017.
  3. Web site: Lee Yuan-tsu dies aged 94. Li-hua. Chung. Chan-yi. Hsu. Jonathan. Chin. 9 March 2017. Taipei Times. 9 March 2017.
  4. Web site: Former vice president dies aged 93 (update). Jui-ping. Kuan. Cheng-chung. Wang. Christine. Chen. 8 March 2017. Central News Agency. 9 March 2017.
  5. Web site: Former Vice President Lee Yuan-tsu dies at 94. Wendy. Lee. 8 March 2017. Taiwan News. 9 March 2017.
  6. News: Kuan. Jui-ping. Chen. Christie. Former vice president Lee Yuan-tsu dies at 93. 8 March 2017. Central News Agency. 8 March 2017.