Shen Chang-huan | |
Native Name Lang: | zh |
Term Start1: | 29 May 1972 |
Term End1: | 16 December 1978 |
Term Start2: | 31 May 1960 |
Term End2: | 27 May 1966 |
Term Start3: | 1 February 1969 |
Term End3: | 1 June 1972 |
Term Start4: | September 1966 |
Term End4: | March 1969 |
Term Start5: | 1959 |
Term End5: | 1960 |
Term Start6: | 1953 |
Term End6: | 1959 |
Birth Date: | 16 October 1913 |
Death Place: | Taipei, Taiwan |
Relatives: | Lai Man-Wai (father-in-law) |
Mawards: | is not set --> |
Shen Chang-huan (; 16 October 1913 – 2 July 1998) was a Taiwanese politician and diplomat. He is the longest-serving Minister of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan's history, in office for a cumulative total of over twelve years from 1960 to 1966 and from 1972 to 1978.
Shen was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu, in mainland China. He was educated at Yenching University in Beijing, before moving to the United States and completing a Master of Arts degree at the University of Michigan. He was a member of the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party), and from 1945 to 1948 served as Chiang Kai-shek's private secretary.[1] He was a government spokesman from 1950 to 1953, after the retreat to Taiwan. During a lengthy career in foreign affairs, he served as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (1953–1959), Ambassador to Spain (1959–1960), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1960–1966), Ambassador to the Holy See (1966–1969), Ambassador to Thailand (1969–1972), and Minister of Foreign Affairs again (1972–1978). His second term as foreign minister was served under Chiang Ching-kuo, the son of Chiang Kai-shek.[2]
Shen's wife was the oldest daughter of Japanese-born Hong Kong filmmaker Lai Man-wai. This relationship indirectedly caused the suicide of Lai Man-wai's actor son Lai Hang in mainland China.