Wu Shih-wen (Chinese: 伍世文; pinyin: Wu Shìwén; born 24 July 1934) was the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2002. He was a career military officer, joining the ROC Army Artillery first as a conscript gunner in 1952, then as a Fires Lieutenant in the Taiwanese Navy in 1955, later served as Superintendent of Naval Academy and Commander-in-chief of the Navy. He was considered to be a military and foreign policy hawk, who resisted military reforms and rapprochement with the People's Republic of China. During the Third Taiwan Straits Crisis he was suspected of ordering Amphibious Marines & Coastal Artillery units to stage live fire drills as a response to the PLA Navy's muscle flexing (and in defiance of the government's and the United States' wish for deescalation).[1]
Wu Shih-wen | |
---|---|
伍世文 | |
Minister of National Defense of the Republic of China | |
In office 20 May 2000 – 1 February 2002 | |
Preceded by | Tang Fei |
Succeeded by | Tang Yao-ming |
Personal details | |
Born | Taishan, Kwangtung | 24 July 1934
Nationality | Republic of China |
Political party | Kuomintang |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Republic of China |
Branch/service | Republic of China Navy |
Years of service | 1952-2002 |
Rank | Admiral |
References
edit- ^ "Taiwan Review - the New Cabinet". Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-05-30.