Thomas Liao
Thomas Liao | |
|---|---|
| Liêu văn nghị | |
 | |
| Born | Liêu ôn nghĩa 22 March 1910 Seira, Kobi,Tainan Prefecture,Japanese Taiwan |
| Died | 9 May 1986(aged 76) |
Thomas Liao(22 March 1910 – 9 May 1986) was a Taiwanese independence activist and founding leader of theRepublic of Taiwan Provisional Government.
Biography
[edit]Thomas Liao was born in present-dayXiluo,Yunlin County,on 22 March 1910, to a wealthy Presbyterian family of Hakka descent.[1][2]His birth nameLiêu ôn nghĩa;Liào Wēnyì;Liāu Un-gīwas later changed toLiêu văn nghị;Liào Wényì;Liāu Bûn-gī.[3]Liao finished his secondary education inKyoto,Japan, then enrolled at theUniversity of Nankingto study mechanical engineering. Liao earned graduate degrees in the United States, completing a master's at theUniversity of Michiganand a doctorate in chemical engineering atOhio State University.[2][4]He married an American,[4][5]and his children were raised in the United States.[2]After obtaining his Ph.D in 1935, Liao taught atNational Chekiang University.Soon after theSecond Sino-Japanese Warbegan, Liao joined theNational Revolutionary ArmyOrdnance Corps with the rank of colonel.[2]
Liao returned to Taiwan in 1940, and became a businessman.[2]In 1945, he began working for theKuomintangwithinTaipei City Government,[6]as director of the municipal bus system and the city's Public Works Bureau.[2][4]He stood for election to theNational Political Assemblyin 1946.Free China Reviewreported that Liao tied with three other candidates after one of his votes was invalidated due to the presence of an "ink stain". Liao lost after lots were drawn.[2]
Thomas and his elder brotherJoshua Liaopushed for Taiwan to be governed by "effective constitutional administration" in 1946,[4]and by January 1947, Thomas had written about a Federated States of China, in which Taiwan was granted full autonomy.[6]AlongsideWang Tien-teng,Thomas Liao stood for election to theConstituent National Assemblyin 1947.[4]Constitutionalism was a tenet of his campaign.[4]George H. Kerrwrote inFormosa Betrayedthat the Kuomintang nullified his election because too many Liao ballots were marked with "imperfect calligraphy".[4]Liao left for Hong Kong later that year, after his brother had been arrested in the aftermath of the228 Incident.[6]Liao andHuang Chi-nanfounded theFormosan League for Reemancipationone year after the incident.[1][6]Liao later moved to Manila, then Tokyo, in 1950.[2]Liao later founded the Taiwan Democratic Independence Party in Kyoto.[7]On 1 September 1955, he convened the Provisional Congress of the Republic of Formosa in Japan.[2]Liao was subsequently elected president of theRepublic of Taiwan Provisional Governmenton 28 February 1956.[2]That same day, Liao issued a declaration of independence for Taiwan.[8]Liao returned to Taiwan on 14 May 1965, stating, "I, Thomas Liao have been working for the interests and happiness of the Taiwanese people overseas for almost 20 years... But now I recognize from the bottom of my heart that the biggest threat is the infiltration and subversion by the Chinese Communists. Thus, I have renounced my Taiwanese independence activities and have decided to answer the call from President Chiang's Anti-Communist Union, and hereby pledge to do everything within my power to fight for the great cause of defeating the Communists."[6]Chiang Kai-shekgranted Liao a full pardon.[2][9]Shortly after his return, Liao was named founding director of the graduate school of chemical engineering at theCollege of Chinese CulturebyChang Ch'i-yun.[10]
Liao died on 9 May 1986.[11]
References
[edit]- ^abTucker, Nancy Bernkopf,ed. (2008).Dangerous Strait: The U.S.--Taiwan--China Crisis.Columbia University Press. p. 48.ISBN9780231135658.
- ^abcdefghijk"Return of a Prodigal".Free China Review.1 June 1965.Retrieved12 June2018.
- ^Lý nhảy càn (2011).Ngày theo thời kỳ Đài Loan lưu ngày học sinh cùng chiến hậu Đài Loan chính trị(in Chinese). Cửu Châu xã tung bác nhà xuất bản. p. 159.ISBN9787510809118.Retrieved12 June2018.
- ^abcdefgKerr, George H. (November 1997).Formosa Betrayed(PDF).Taiwan Publishing Company.
- ^Maritime Taiwan: Historical Encounters with the East and the West.M. E. Sharpe. 2009. p. 178.ISBN9780765641892.
- ^abcdeHan Cheung (13 May 2018)."Taiwan in Time: The 'president' returns home".Taipei Times.Retrieved12 June2018.
- ^Tucker, Nancy Bernkopf, ed. (2005).Dangerous Strait: The U.S.-Taiwan-China Crisis.Columbia University Press. p. 52.ISBN9780231509633.
- ^Lee, Hsin-fang; Chung, Jake (14 March 2016)."Calls for Martial Law era articles to be declassified".Taipei Times.Retrieved12 June2018.
- ^"The Month In Free China".Free China Review.1 June 1965.Retrieved12 June2018.
- ^"Culture, Science and Education".Free China Review.1 September 1965.Retrieved2 August2018.
- ^Kính thảo (2015).Đài Loan độc lập vận động khúc dạo đầu (1945-1991A.D.)(in Chinese). Đài Loan năm nam sách báo xuất bản cổ phần công ty hữu hạn. p. 153.ISBN9789571180625.Retrieved12 June2018.
- 1910 births
- 1986 deaths
- Taiwan independence activists
- People from Yunlin County
- University of Michigan alumni
- Ohio State University College of Engineering alumni
- Academic staff of Zhe gian g University
- Taiwanese exiles
- Taiwanese Presbyterians
- Taiwanese expatriates in Japan
- Taiwanese political party founders
- Academic staff of the Chinese Culture University
- Taiwanese revolutionaries
- 20th-century Taiwanese businesspeople
- Taiwanese expatriates in the Philippines
- Taiwanese politicians of Hakka descent