Kao Kuang-chi (traditional Chinese: 高廣圻; simplified Chinese: 高广圻; pinyin: Gāo Guǎngqí; born 9 March 1950) is a Taiwanese politician. He was a retired admiral of the Republic of China Navy, and later entered the cabinet as Minister of National Defense from 2015 to 2016.

Kao Kuang-chi
高廣圻
31st Minister of National Defense of the Republic of China
In office
31 January 2015 – 20 May 2016
DeputyLiu Chen-wu, Cheng Te-mei, Chen Yeong-kang
Preceded byYen Ming
Succeeded byFeng Shih-kuan
23rd Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of China Armed Forces
In office
8 August 2013 – 30 January 2015
Preceded byYen Ming
Succeeded byYen Teh-fa
Further information
Acting Minister of National Defense of the Republic of China
In office
7 August 2013 – 7 August 2013
Preceded byAndrew Yang
Succeeded byYen Ming
5th Deputy Minister (Armaments) of National Defense of the Republic of China
In office
1 September 2012[1] – 6 August 2013
MinisterKao Hua-chu
Andrew Yang
Preceded byChao Shih-chan
Succeeded byYen Teh-fa[2]
26th Executive Vice Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of China Armed Forces
In office
16 May 2011 – 1 September 2012
DeputyLei Yu-chi
Lee Shying-jow
Liu Chen-wu
Yen Teh-fa
ChiefLin Chen-yi
Preceded byWu Ta-peng
Succeeded byChen Yeong-kang
3rd Commander of the Republic of China Navy
In office
21 May 2009 – 16 May 2011
Preceded byWang Li-sheng
Succeeded byTung Hsiang-lung
Personal details
Born (1950-03-09) 9 March 1950 (age 74)
Taiwan
NationalityRepublic of China
Alma materUS Naval War College, Florida Institute of Technology
Military service
AllegianceRepublic of China
Branch/serviceRepublic of China Navy
Years of service1972–2015
RankAdmiral
Battles/warsThird Taiwan Strait Crisis
Admiral Kao Kuang-chi in 2008.

He was the acting Minister of National Defense from 7 August 2013 after the sudden resignation of Defense Minister Andrew Yang, just six days after taking his office after the previous Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu's resignation due to the controversial death of Corporal Hung Chung-chiu.

Kao Kuang-chi was succeeded by Yen Ming after his official appointment by the Executive Yuan on 8 August 2013. Kao Kuang-chi replaced Yen as the ROC Chief of the General Staff on 8 August 2013.[3]

Kao submitted his resignation on 8 April due to the Boeing AH-64 Apache scandal[4] in Taiwan. However, his resignation was rejected by President Ma Ying-jeou.

Minister of National Defense edit

Kao was inaugurated as the Minister of National Defense on 30 January 2015 in a ceremony presided by Minister without Portfolio Lin Junq-tzer in Taipei. During the handover ceremony, Lin praised his predecessor accomplishments during Yen's tenure in pushing for complete military judicial system reforms and for better protecting human rights protection of military personnel.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "New Taiwan deputy defense minister named|Politics|News|WantChinaTimes.com". wantchinatimes.com. Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
  2. ^ "Army chief offered to quit twice on Hung death: MND - The China Post". chinapost.com.tw. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
  3. ^ "Ma appoints General Yen Ming as defense minister - Taipei Times". taipeitimes.com. 8 August 2013. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
  4. ^ "Apology after military officer in Taiwan allows friends to sit in Apache attack helicopter". Hong Kong: South China Morinig Post. 2015-04-09.
  5. ^ "New Defense Minister Kao Kuang-chi sworn in - the China Post". Archived from the original on 2015-02-22. Retrieved 2015-02-22.