Yeh Kuang-shih explained

Yeh Kuang-shih
Native Name:Chinese: 葉匡時
Office1:Mayor of Kaohsiung
Term Label1:Acting
Term Start1:16 October 2019
Term End1:11 January 2020
Predecessor1:Han Kuo-yu
Successor1:Han Kuo-yu
Office2:Deputy Mayor of Kaohsiung
Alongside2:Lee Shu-chuan
1Blankname2:Mayor
1Namedata2:Han Kuo-yu
Himself (acting)
Han Kuo-yu
Term Start2:25 December 2018
Term End2:12 June 2020
Successor2:Wang Shih-fang (acting)
Office3:Minister of Transportation and Communications
Primeminister3:Jiang Yi-huah
Deputy3:Chen Chwen-jing, Chen Jian-yu, Hsu Chun-yat
Chen Chwen-jing, Chen Jian-yu, Fan Chih-ku
Chen Jian-yu, Fan Chih-ku[1]
Term Start3:18 February 2013
Term End3:9 January 2015
Predecessor3:Mao Chi-kuo
Successor3:Chen Jian-yu
Office4:Political Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications
Minister4:Mao Chi-kuo
Term Start4:June 2009
Term End4:February 2013
Successor4:Chen Chwen-jing
Office5:Deputy Minister of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission
Minister5:Jiang Yi-huah
Term Start5:May 2008
Term End5:June 2009
Birth Date:7 January 1957
Birth Place:Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan
Nationality:Taiwan
Party:Kuomintang
Alma Mater:National Taiwan University
University of Delaware
Carnegie Mellon University

Yeh Kuang-shih (; born 1957 in Hualien) is a Taiwanese politician and management scientist. He was the Minister of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications from 18 February 2013 until 9 January 2015, and one of the three deputy mayors of Kaohsiung within the municipal administration of Han Kuo-yu from 25 December 2018 to 12 June 2020.

Early life

Yeh Kuang-shih was born in Hualien City in 1957. His parents are immigrants from Zhejiang, China.[2] He graduated from National Taiwan University with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1979. He then obtained a master's degree in public administration at University of Delaware in 1984, and a PhD in organization theory at Carnegie Mellon University in 1990.[3]

Academic career

Yeh was a professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Department of Business Administration from 1991 to 2015. He has more than 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has written several books on business administration.

After resigning from his post as the Minister of Transportation and Communications in 2015, Yeh left Sun Yat-sen University for the Graduate Institute of Technology Innovation & Intellectual Property Management at National Chengchi University.[4] He retired in 2018.[5]

Political career

Deputy Minister of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission

Yeh served as the Deputy Minister of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission from 2008 to 2009. During his time he participated in the Organizational Reform of Executive Yuan.[6]

Political Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications

From 2009 to 2013 Yeh served as the Political Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications. During this time, he instituted Taoyuan International Airport Corporation, the operator of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, and served as the first chairman.[7]

Minister of Transportation and Communications

After Premier Sean Chen stepped down in 2013, Yeh replaced Mao Chi-kuo as the Minister of Transportation and Communications.

2013 Nantou earthquake

Right after an earthquake struck Taiwan on 27 March 2013, Yeh ordered all officials within the ministry departments to conduct checks on any damage caused by the earthquake.[8]

Taoyuan International Airport MRT delay

Commenting on the completion delay of Taoyuan International Airport MRT in mid April 2013, Yeh said that he hoped that the line can be opened somewhere before October 2014, after the ROC Ministry of Transportation and Communications had postponed it from its original June 2013 official launch. He added that the delay is caused by the MRT electromechanical systems in which it is still currently being worked out by the appointed contractor.[9]

In early May 2013 during a session at the Transportation Committee of the Legislative Yuan, Yeh became the target of heavy criticism due to the ongoing delay of the airport MRT completion, even the DPP asked Yeh to resign as his responsibility of the delay. Yeh responded by stating that he had already questioned the train signaling system contractor legitimacy and the tender process in choosing the contractors. He added that any dispute regarding the tender and bidding process had long been officially closed since the investigator could not find anything illegal. However, he promised to further submit all of the information found to prosecutor for further investigation.[10]

ROC first casino

After the Executive Yuan approval in early May 2013 in establishing ROC first casino, Yeh said that ROC government considers that the casino will be established in Lienchiang, Fukien Province, not in Taiwan Island. He expected that the casino resort will house the casino, hotel, convention and other facilities. The casino resort is expected to be established in 2019 the earliest.[11]

Resignation

On January 7, 2015, which happens to be Yeh's birthday, Yeh resigned after failure to secure support from his party to Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation’s (THSRC) financial restructuring plan. The plan was perceived by some lawmakers to benefit the investors more than the public, or unnecessary because THSRC is not in imminent danger to go bankrupt, or the government should let the corp go bankrupt.[12] A modified version of the financial restructuring plan was passed later that year.[13]

Later that year, he became an adviser to Hung Hsiu-chu's presidential campaign.[14] Hung was eventually replaced by Eric Chu to represent the party in the election.[15]

Deputy mayor of Kaohsiung

Yeh was appointed deputy mayor of Kaohsiung in December 2018 by Han Kuo-yu,[16] serving alongside Lee Shu-chuan and Chen Hsiung-wen. He mainly focused on policies related to economic development, transportation, tourism, culture, and education. The appointment ended in June 2020 after the recall of mayor Han.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Minister Of Motc - Ministry Of Transportation And Communications R.O.C . Motc.gov.tw . 2014-04-28.
  2. News: 葉匡時憶童年 學校禁說大陳話. 中央社. zh.
  3. Web site: Faculty information for Yuang S. Yeh. National Sun Yet-sen University. 2015-07-23.
  4. News: 找葉匡時運籌帷幄 洪秀柱將打政策牌對決小英. 羅暐智. 2015-08-04. 2015-08-05. Storm Media. zh.
  5. News: 打算參選台北市長?葉匡時提前自政大教職退休. 2018-02-01. 自由時報. 2018-02-15. zh.
  6. News: 政院組織精簡 擬裁25政務官. zh. Liberty Times. 2009-02-24. 2015-07-23. 黃維助.
  7. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport 2010 Annual Report. Tai Wan Tao Yuan Guo Ji Ji Chang ... Nian du Nian Jian = Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Annual Report. Taoyuan International Airport Corporation. 2010. 2015-07-23. 1992-8599.
  8. Web site: 1 dead, over 80 injured in 6.1 quake . The China Post . 1999-09-21 . 2014-04-28.
  9. Web site: Minister critical of delays in Airport Rail construction . Taipei Times . 2014-04-21 . 2014-04-28.
  10. Web site: Ministry gets flak over Airport Rail . Taipei Times . 2014-04-21 . 2014-04-28.
  11. Web site: Cabinet approves draft bill for casinos on islands . Taipei Times . 2014-04-21 . 2014-04-28.
  12. News: Transport minister quits over THSRC. Taipei Times. Shelley Shan. 2015-01-08. 2015-07-23.
  13. News: 揮別破產 高鐵財改重生. Commercial Times. 林淑慧. 2015-05-22. 2018-10-05. zh.
  14. News: Hsiao. Alison. Hung to sue over Storm Media report. 2015-10-24. Taipei Times. 2015-10-24.
  15. News: 臨全會換柱案 馬連吳王舉手支持. 2015-10-18. 施曉光. 2018-10-05. zh.
  16. News: Wang . Jung-hsiang . Lai . Hsiao-tung . New Taipei City official to be Han's deputy . 17 December 2018 . Taipei Times . 17 December 2018.