Kao Hua-chu

Kao Hua-chu
高華柱
18th Secretary-General of the National Security Council of the Republic of China
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 February 2015[1]
Preceded by King Pu-tsung
28th Minister of National Defense of the Republic of China
In office
9 September 2009 – 29 July 2013[2]
President Ma Ying-jeou
Deputy Chang Liang-jen, Chao Shih-chang
Andrew Yang,[3] Chao Shih-chang[4]
Andrew Yang, Kao Kuang-chi[5]
Preceded by Chen Chao-min
Succeeded by Andrew Yang
10th & 12th Minister of Veterans Affairs Commission of Executive Yuan of the Republic of China
In office
20 May 2008 – 10 September 2009
Preceded by Hu Chen-pu
Succeeded by Tseng Jing-ling
In office
20 May 2004 – 9 February 2007
Preceded by Teng Tsu-lin
Succeeded by Hu Chen-pu
2nd Commander of the Republic of China Combined Logistics Forces
In office
01 February 2003 – 19 May 2004
Preceded by Hsieh Chien-tung
Succeeded by Tai Po-teh
Personal details
Born 2 October 1946 (age 68)[6]
Jimo, Shantung, Republic of China
Nationality  Republic of China
Political party Kuomintang
Alma mater Republic of China Military Academy
Republic of China Army Infantry School
National Defense University
Military service
Allegiance  Republic of China
Service/branch Republic of China Army
Years of service 1968-2004
Rank General
Battles/wars Third Taiwan Strait Crisis

Kao Hua-chu (Chinese: 高華柱; pinyin: Gāo Huázhù) is the incumbent Secretary-General of the National Security Council of the Republic of China (Taiwan). He was the 28th ROC Minister of National Defense that appointed to the post by then ROC Premier-designate Wu Den-yih on 9 September 2009.[7] On 29 July 2013, Kao resigned from his post due to the death scandal of Corporal Hung Chung-chiu of the ROC Army during his conscription on 4 July 2013.[8]

Early life

1974 helicopter crash

In 1974, Kao was involved in a helicopter crash in Taoyuan County (now Taoyuan City) with his colleagues, including Yu Hao-chang, the then-Commanding General of Army Command Headquarters. The accident involved two UH-1H helicopters crashed due to bad weather. It killed than 20 people and seriously injuring Kao, yet he still managed to carry Yu on his back while looking for help.[9]

2009 Typhoon Morakot

A month after Typhoon Morakot brought the worst flooding and mudslides to Taiwan in 50 years, Kao was appointed as the leading deputy executive officer of the Morakot Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council of the Executive Yuan.[10]

ROC Minister of National Defense

Kao in Legislative Yuan
Kao and President Ma at Chiayi Air Base

2013 Korean crisis

Amidst the ongoing 2013 North Korean crisis, in mid April 2013 Kao said that the ROC Armed Forces is capable of intercepting missiles from North Korea and it doesn't pose any threat to Taiwan because the chance for Taiwan to be accidentally hit by the missiles is low. He further added that long-range radar installation in Hsinchu County could always detect any incoming missiles fired by North Korea before.[11]

Dadan Island and Erdan Island demilitarization

Kao said that once ROC two outlying islands Dadan Island and Erdan Island have been demilitarized and are open to public within three years, he hoped that the Coast Guard Administration and other law enforcement agencies can take over the security for both islands. Currently those two islands are off to public due to its extremely close proximity (7 nautical miles) to PRC area, the coast of Xiamen.[12]

Taiwanese fisherman shooting incident

After the shooting incident of Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine government vessel on 9 May 2013 at the disputed water in South China Sea, on May 11, 2013, Kao held a meeting with ROC President Ma Ying-jeou and ROC Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei in which the ROC government gave 72 hours for the Philippine government to give formal apology and bring those responsible for the shooting to justice, if not Taiwan will freeze Philippine worker applications, recall ROC representative to the Philippines back to Taiwan and ask the Philippine representative in Taiwan back to the Philippines.[13]

Two ROC Air Force fighter aircraft crash

After the two incident involving two of ROC Air Force fighter aircraft in mid of May 2013 within five days apart involving an F-16 and Mirage 2000-5, Kao apologized to the public but asking their support for the moral of the pilots involved in the incident. He assured the public that all remaining aircraft in duty are all in good condition, and that the two crashes didn't compromise Taiwan's air defense.[14]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kao Hua-chu.

References

  1. ↑ http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201502060018.aspx
  2. ↑ "Defense chief exits in Cabinet reshuffle". The China Post. 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  3. ↑ Matters, Taiwan (2009-09-18). "THE TAIWAN LINK: Andrew Yang Appointed as Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Defense". Thetaiwanlink.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  4. ↑ "Andrew Yang picked as deputy defense minister". Taipei Times. 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  5. ↑ (GMT+8) (2012-08-24). "New Taiwan deputy defense minister named｜Politics｜News｜WantChinaTimes.com". Wantchinatimes.com. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  6. ↑ "Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Taiwan)-Executive Yuan Officials". Ey.gov.tw. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  7. ↑ "Profile of Taiwan's new defense minister Kao Hua-chu - Taiwan News Online". Etaiwannews.com. 2009-09-10. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  8. ↑ "Defense chief exits in Cabinet reshuffle". The China Post. 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  9. ↑ "Kao Hua-chu (高華柱)｜Who's Who｜WantChinaTimes.com". Wantchinatimes.com. 1946-10-02. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  10. ↑ "Taiwan Today - Executive Yuan announces organizational structure of Post-Disaster Reconstruction Council". taiwantoday.tw. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
  11. ↑ "Kao not worried about N Korean missile". Taipei Times. 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  12. ↑ "Coast Guard should protect front-line islets: Kao". The China Post. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  13. ↑ "Death on the High Seas: Ma issues ultimatum over fisherman’s death". Taipei Times. 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  14. ↑ "Minister apologizes for fighter crashes, urges public support". Taipei Times. 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-28.