Lin Yang-kang

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Lin Yang-kang
林洋港
President of the Judicial Yuan
In office
April 1987 – September 1994
Preceded byHuang Shao-ku
Succeeded byShih Chi-yang
Vice Premier of the Republic of China
In office
1 June 1984 – 1 May 1987
PremierYu Kuo-hwa
Preceded byChiu Chuang-huan
Succeeded byLien Chan
Minister of the Interior
In office
25 November 1981 – 1 June 1984
Preceded byChiu Chuang-huan
Succeeded byWu Po-hsiung
Chairman of Taiwan Province
In office
12 June 1978 – 5 December 1981
Preceded byHsieh Tung-min
Succeeded byLee Teng-hui
3rd Mayor of Taipei
In office
1976–1978
Preceded byChang Feng-hsu
Succeeded byLee Teng-hui
Magistrate of Nantou County
In office
1 February 1967 – 16 June 1972
Preceded byYang Chao-pi
Succeeded byOu Shu-wen (acting)
Liu Yu-you
Personal details
Born(1927-06-10)10 June 1927
Gyochi Village, Niitaka District, Taichū Prefecture, Japanese Taiwan (modern-day Yuchi, Nantou, Taiwan)
Died13 April 2013(2013-04-13) (aged 85)
Taichung, Taiwan
NationalityRepublic of China
Political partyKuomintang (until 1995; since 2005)
SpouseChen Ho (陳閤)
Alma materNational Taiwan University

Lin Yang-kang (Chinese: 林洋港; pinyin: Lín Yánggǎng [lǐn jǎŋ.kàŋ]; 10 June 1927 – 13 April 2013) was a Taiwanese politician. He was born at Sun Moon Lake during the Japanese rule of Taiwan. Some thought he might be Chiang Ching-kuo's successor as head of the Kuomintang (KMT), but after failing to win the KMT's nomination for president in 1996, he became an independent. Lin rejoined the party in 2005, and died in 2013.

Biography[edit]

Lin was born in Niitaka District, Taichū Prefecture (modern-day Nantou County) Taiwan and graduated from National Taiwan University with a bachelor of science degree.[1]

Lin was married to Chen Ho (陳閤) and had one son and three daughters.[1]

On 13 April 2013, Lin died at home in Taichung, of intestinal obstruction and organ failure, aged 85.[2][3]

Political career[edit]

Lin began his political career in the 1960s. By 1990, he was a vice-chairman of the Kuomintang. Aligned with the "non-mainstream faction" that aimed to be less confrontational with the People's Republic of China than Lee Teng-hui, Lin tried to replace Lee in the 1990 presidential election, with Chiang Wei-kuo as his running mate.[4]

He resigned his position as the head of the Judicial Yuan on 1 September 1994 to become a presidential advisor to Lee Teng-hui. Upon taking the appointment, Lin again declared his candidacy for Taiwan's first direct presidential elections, scheduled for 1996.[5] However, he was not chosen as the Kuomintang nominee.[3] Lin and Chen Li-an resisted calls to join forces and run as the New Party ticket, choosing instead to run separately as independents. After considering Chang Feng-hsu as a running mate, Lin eventually chose former premier Hau Pei-tsun, believing that Hau's background might attract more mainlanders' votes for him.[6] However, Lin's pro-China and pro-reunification views during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis caused many Taishang to vote against him,[7][8] and the Lin–Hau ticket finished third with 14.9% of the vote.[9] Chen ran with Wang Ching-feng. Both Chen and Lin were later expelled from the Kuomintang. He retired from political affairs and secluded himself in Taichung after this defeat. Lin resumed membership in the KMT in 2005.[3]

1996 Republic of China Presidential Election Result
President Candidate Vice President Candidate Party Votes %
Lee Teng-hui Lien Chan Kuomintang 5,813,699 54.0
Peng Ming-min Frank Hsieh Democratic Progressive Party 2,274,586 21.1
Lin Yang-kang Hau Pei-tsun Independent 1,603,790 14.9
Chen Li-an Wang Ching-feng Independent 1,074,044 9.9
Invalid/blank votes 117,160
Total 10,883,279 100

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b The International Who's Who 2004. Europa Publications/Psychology Press. 2003. p. 108. ISBN 9781857432176. Lin Yang-kang chen ho married.
  2. ^ Mo, Yan-chih (15 April 2013). "Former presidential adviser Lin Yang-kang dies at 87". Taipei Times. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Veteran KMT heavyweight Lin Yang-kang dies aged 85". China Post. Central News Agency. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  4. ^ Eliason, Marcus (19 March 1996). "Taiwanese ponder biggest every political choice". The Daily Gazette. Associated Press. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  5. ^ Sheng, Virginia (26 August 1994). "Assembly approves new Judicial Yuan chief as DPP boycotts vote". Taiwan Today. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Lin Yang-kang y Hau Pei-tsun se presentarán como candidatos a la presidencia". Taiwan Today (in Spanish). 1995. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  7. ^ Schubert, Gunter (2015). Taiwan and The 'China Impact'. Routledge. ISBN 9781317369158.
  8. ^ Yang, Fenggang (2010). Chinese Christians in America. Penn State Press. p. 42. ISBN 9780271042527.
  9. ^ Clarke, Adam W. (2001). Taiwan-China: A Most Ticklish Standoff. Nova Publishers. p. 101. ISBN 9781590330074.