Chen Che-nan (Chinese: 陳哲男; pinyin: Chén Zhénán; born 30 March 1941) is a Taiwanese retired politician. Chen was a member of the Legislative Yuan from 1987 to 1994. Originally affiliated with the Kuomintang, he joined the Democratic Progressive Party in 1993. He later served briefly as the acting Secretary-General to the President from August 2000 to October 2000.

Chen Che-nan
陳哲男
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
1 February 1993 – December 1994
ConstituencyKaohsiung 1
In office
1 February 1987 – 31 January 1993
ConstituencyEducation
Acting Secretary-General to the President
In office
1 August 2000 – 5 October 2000
PresidentChen Shui-bian
Preceded byChang Chun-hsiung
Succeeded byYu Shyi-kun
Personal details
Born (1941-03-30) 30 March 1941 (age 83)
NationalityTaiwan
Political partyIndependent (2005–present)
Other political
affiliations
Kuomintang (until 1992)
Democratic Progressive Party (1993–2005)
ChildrenChen Chi-mai (son)
OccupationPolitician

Early life and career edit

Born in 1941 during Japanese rule, Chen was an elementary school teacher prior to a career in politics.[1]

Political career edit

In the 1970s, Chen began his political career in the Kaohsiung City Government.[1] He was elected to the Legislative Yuan for the first time in 1986, and stepped down in 1994, in the midst of a term. Chen then served the Taipei City Government and mayor Chen Shui-bian in multiple positions, until joining the ROC Presidential Office in 2000, where he continued advising Chen Shui-bian.

Controversy edit

Chen was expelled from the Kuomintang on 2 December 1992,[2] after becoming increasingly critical of party leaders,[1] and due to his support of the One China, one Taiwan" notion.[3] His expulsion from the party happened in the midst of a legislative election, but occurred too late for the KMT to officially pull their support of him.[4] Listed on the ballot as a KMT candidate for Kaohsiung,[4] he won and took office nonetheless.[2] Despite expulsion, Chen's vote share was still allocated to the KMT for the purposes of determining party list proportional representation.[4] He joined the Democratic Progressive Party the next year.[1] Businessman Chen You-hao named Chen Che-nan as one of the people who helped Chen Shui-bian solicit donations for Chen Shui-bian's 1998 Taipei mayoral campaign and the 2000 presidential campaign.[5] In a separate case also involving black gold politics, Chen Che-nan was found to have used his political influence to secure favorable court rulings for businessman Liang Po-hsun. The Taipei District Court ruled in December 2006 that Chen was to serve twelve years in prison.[6] An appeal to the Taiwan High Court shortened the sentence to nine years.[7] A retrial of the Liang–Chen case was later heard by the Taiwan High Court in 2010. Presiding judge Tseng ter-shui convicted Chen of fraud,[8] a lesser charge that dramatically reduced Chen's sentence to seven months imprisonment,[9] which was again appealed.[10] Chen Heng-kuan, one of three High Court judges to hear the case, considered resigning his position.[8][11] The same court ruled in March 2013 that Chen Che-nan was to serve eight years imprisonment.[12] The Supreme Court reduced Chen's sentence by one year in November 2014.[13] Chen began serving the seven-year prison sentence in Kaohsiung weeks later.[14] He was released on parole in October 2017.[15]

Chen Che-nan was deeply involved in the 2005 Kaohsiung MRT foreign workers scandal.[16][17] This led to his expulsion from the Democratic Progressive Party later that year. Chen also lost an Order of Brilliant Star, awarded in 2002, and an Order of Propitious Clouds, awarded in 2004.[18][19] As a further consequence of the scandal, Chen left his post as national policy adviser.[20] In 2007, the Kaohsiung District Court dropped all corruption charges against Chen.[21]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Chiu, Yu-Tzu (7 November 2005). "KRTC Scandal: From A-bian's career builder to troublemaker". Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b Yu, Susan (22 December 1992). "KMT maintains power grip; DPP grows stronger". Taiwan Today. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  3. ^ 中央通訊社. "陳哲男政治人生起落 公眾評價褒貶兩極 | 中央通訊社". LINE TODAY (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Peng, Tammy C. (8 December 1992). "KMT expels candidate, keeps votes". Taiwan Today. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  5. ^ Ko, Shu-ling (3 February 2004). "Fugitive says Chen took his donations". Taipei Times. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Chen Che-nan sentenced to 12 years for taking bribes". Taipei Times. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  7. ^ "High Court cuts sentence for former top Chen aide". Taipei Times. 27 June 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  8. ^ a b Chang, Rich (31 July 2010). "Court tries to stop judge from resigning". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  9. ^ Chang, Rich (28 July 2010). "High Court reduces former official's prison sentence". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Bribery ruling will face appeal". China Post. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  11. ^ "KMT lawmaker calls for new bill on judicial reform". Taipei Times. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  12. ^ Liu, Shi-yi; Kao, Y. L. (9 October 2013). "Ex-presidential aide given 8-year sentence after bribery retrial". Central News Agency. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  13. ^ Tsai, Page; Liu, Shih-yi; Wu, Lilian (20 November 2014). "Aide to ex-President Chen sentenced to seven years for corruption". Central News Agency. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  14. ^ Cheng, Chi-feng; Chang, S. C. (1 December 2014). "Former presidential aide jailed for taking bribe". Central News Agency. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  15. ^ Wang, Shu-fen; Chang, S. C. (11 October 2017). "Chen Che-nan released on parole". China Post. Central News Agency. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018. Alt URL
  16. ^ Huang, Jewel; Shih, Hsiu-chuan (29 October 2005). "Chen Che-nan scandal deepens". Taipei Times. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  17. ^ Mo, Yan-chih; Wang, Flora (26 December 2006). "Hau Lung-bin, Chen Chu take office". Taipei Times. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  18. ^ Ko, Shu-ling (4 November 2005). "President strips Chen of medals". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  19. ^ Huang, Jewel; Chiu, Yu-tzu (31 October 2005). "Expulsion of Chen Che-nan finalized by apologetic DPP". Taipei Times. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  20. ^ Chiu, Yu-tzu (6 October 2005). "President accepts advisers' resignations". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  21. ^ Chuang, Jimmy (25 August 2007). "Court clears Chen Che-nan of KRTC corruption". Taipei Times. Retrieved 12 March 2016.