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Wu Po-hsiung

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Wu Po-hsiung
吳伯雄
Wu in 2012
5th Chairman of the Kuomintang
In office
11 April 2007 – 17 October 2009
Preceded byChiang Pin-kung
Succeeded byMa Ying-jeou
Acting
13 February 2007 – 14 March 2007
Preceded byMa Ying-jeou
Succeeded byChiang Pin-kung
Vice Chairman of the Kuomintang
In office
18 June 2000 – 11 April 2007
ChairmanLien Chan
Ma Ying-jeou
Secretary-General of the Kuomintang
In office
16 August 1996 – 11 December 1997
ChairmanLee Teng-hui
Preceded byHsu Shui-teh
Succeeded byJohn Chiang
Secretary-General to the President
In office
13 December 1994 – 3 August 1996
PresidentLee Teng-hui
DeputyRaymond R. M. Tai
Preceded byChiang Yang-shih
Succeeded byHuang Kun-huei
Minister of the Interior
In office
1 June 1991 – 15 February 1994
Preceded byHsu Shui-teh
Succeeded byHuang Kun-huei
In office
1 June 1984 – 22 July 1988
Preceded byLin Yang-kang
Succeeded byHsu Shui-teh
8th Mayor of Taipei
In office
25 July 1988 – 2 June 1990
Preceded byHsu Shui-teh
Succeeded byHuang Ta-chou
Magistrate of Taoyuan
In office
1 February 1973 – 20 December 1976
Preceded byHsu Hsin-chih
Lee Shu-you (acting)
Succeeded byWeng Chien (acting)
Hsu Hsin-liang
Personal details
Born19 June 1939 (1939-06-19) (age 87)
Shinchiku Prefecture, Taiwan, Empire of Japan
PartyKuomintang
RelationsJohn Wu (son)[1]
EducationNational Cheng Kung University (BS)
Wu Po-hsiung
Traditional Chinese吳伯雄
Simplified Chinese吴伯雄
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWú Bóxióng
Southern Min
Hokkien POJNgô Peh-hiông

Wu Po-hsiung (Chinese: 吳伯雄; pinyin: Wú Bóxióng; born 19 June 1939) is a Taiwanese politician served as the 8th mayor of Taipei from 1988 to 1990 and as the chairman of the Kuomintang from 2007 to 2009. Previously, he was also interior minister (1984–1988) and secretary-general to the president (1991–1996). Wu was nominated as honorary chairman of the Kuomintang when he was succeeded by Ma Ying-jeou as the chairman of the Kuomintang.

Early life and education

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Wu was born on 19 June 1939[2] in Zhongli, Taoyuan, the third of eight sons.[3][4] He belonged to a prominent Hakka Chinese family whose ancestral home was in Yongding, Longyan, Fujian.[5] His father, Wu Hong-lin [zh] (吳鴻麟; 1899–1995), was a surgeon who graduated from Taihoku Imperial University, worked in the Japanese Red Cross Society, and began practicing ophthalmology in 1930.[5] His mother, Lin Fang-lan (林訪蘭), came from a prominent family in Toufen and held leadership positions in several women's organizations in the Zhongli area.[5] His grandfather, Wu Rongdi (吳榮棣; 1863–1937), attained the Qing imperial examination rank of xiucai in 1892 and founded a poetry society in Zhongli in 1921.[5]

After World War II, Hong-lin served as speaker of the Taoyuan County Council and as magistrate of Taoyuan County from 1960 to 1964.[5][6] When Wu as a child, his uncle Wu Hung-chi (吳鴻麒), a judge on the Taiwan High Court and the twin brother of Wu's father, was arrested and killed during the February 28 incident in 1947.[5]

After elementary school, Wu moved to Taipei to attend the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University (HSNU).[7] After graduating from HSNU in 1958,[8] he enrolled at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) to study industrial management and business management.[7] He graduated in 1962 with a bachelor's degree in management science.[9] While an undergraduate, Wu joined the Kuomintang in 1961.[7]

Early career and entry into politics

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After graduating from college in 1962, Wu enlisted in the Republic of China Armed Forces as a reserve officer in the Political Warfare Bureau.[10] During his military service, he was selected to serve as an itinerant Three Principles of the People instructor.[11] After completing his military service, Wu taught for two years, from 1964 to 1966, at the Taiwan Provincial Zhongli Commercial Vocational School.[10] In 1964, he married Dai Meiyu (戴美玉).[12]

In 1966, Wu left teaching to work as a clerk for the Hsinchu District Mutual Savings Company (新竹區合會儲蓄股份有限公司).[10][13] He entered politics in 1968, contesting the fourth Taiwan Provincial Council election in 1968.[14][15] After the election was held on 21 April 1968,[16] Wu became the youngest member elected to the Provincial Council.[11]

Magistrate of Taoyuan

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Wu ran in the seventh Taoyuan County magistrate election on December 23, 1972, as the KMT candidate representing the southern, predominantly Hakka part of the county centered on Zhongli.[17] His candidacy followed an informal system of regional rotation in Taoyuan politics under which the magistracy alternated between politicians from the county's northern, predominantly Hoklo, districts and its southern Hakka districts.[17] Although Huang Yu-chiao (黃玉嬌) had initially sought to contest the election, she was unable to stand after receiving an eight-month criminal sentence, leaving Wu as the only candidate on the ballot.[17] Wu received 261,889 votes and was elected with a voter turnout of 73.54 percent.[18] He took office on February 1, 1973, succeeding Hsu Hsin-chih, and became the youngest county magistrate then serving in Taiwan.[19]

Much of Wu's tenure coincided with a period of rapid industrialization and large-scale infrastructure construction in Taoyuan.[20] His county government cooperated with the central government's Ten Major Construction Projects, including the acquisition of more than 1,000 ha (2,500 acres) of land for what became Taoyuan International Airport, land acquisition for the construction of the north–south freeway, and the development of large industrial districts.[20]

In 1976, while still serving as magistrate, Wu was elected a member of the KMT Central Committee.[21] He resigned as county magistrate in August 1976—before completing his term—to become director of the Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau.[22] Provincial government member Weng Chien (翁鈐) subsequently served as acting magistrate for the remainder of the term.[23]

ROC Interior Ministry

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Wu became the Ministry of the Interior twice in 1984–1988 and 1991–1994.[24]

ROC citizens permitted to visit China

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On 15 October 1987, Wu announced the lifting of prohibition of ROC citizens to travel to the Mainland Area. Citizens were allowed to do so for family visits.[25]

KMT vice chairmanship

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Wu was the first vice-chairman of the main opposition Kuomintang party after Kuomintang lost in the 2000 ROC presidential election to the Democratic Progressive Party.

KMT chairmanship

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After Chairman Ma Ying-jeou resigned on 13 February 2007, he became the acting chairman. Wu, however, subsequently resigned his post as acting chairman and member of the Central Standing Committee on 14 March 2007 to compete in the KMT chairmanship by-election scheduled for 7 April 2007. Ma announced his support for Wu for chairmanship.[26]

Wu eventually won the party chairmanship election and became KMT Chairman on 11 April 2007. He garnered about 90% of votes cast, defeated KMT legislator Hung Hsiu-chu. Of all eligible voters, about 53% voted.[27]

Candidate Total votes cast Percentage of vote
Wu Poh-hsiung156,499 87.0%
Hung Hsiu-chu23,447 13.0%
Voter turnout53%

Cross-strait relations

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2005 China visit

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Wu and other Pan-Blue officials in Nanjing in 2005.

In April 2005, Wu joined Lien Chan and other Pan-Blue officials to visit mainland China.

2009 China visit

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In May 2009, Wu left for China for an eight-day visit. He was accompanied by three KMT vice chairmen, Lin Fong-cheng, Wu Den-yih (who doubled as KMT Secretary-General) and Chiang Hsiao-yen. Wang Yi, Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, welcomed the delegations upon arrival in Beijing.

Prior to departure, Wu said that we would not mention the "Republic of China" if the Beijing government did not mention the "People's Republic of China" as well. If Beijing was to refrain from mentioning the One China principle, then he also would not talk about the 1992 Consensus.

The delegations visited several cities. In Beijing, they visited the Guangdong-Guangxi House, where Sun Yat-sen was elected as chairman of the Kuomintang in 1912. In Hangzhou, they visited the Manao Temple, where a museum of Lien Heng is located. In Nanjing, they visited the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. And in Chongqing, they attended the Taiwan Week celebration organized by Taiwanese businessmen doing business in China.[28]

2012 Beijing visit

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Wu led a delegation from Taiwan to visit Beijing in March 2012 to meet Hu Jintao, the then-general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); Wu proposed that cross-strait relations be governed under the framework of "one country, two areas" (一國兩區), in which from the Republic of China's point of view, ROC consists of Taiwan area and the mainland area.[29]

Among the delegates are three of Kuomintang vice chairpersons, who are Lin Fong-cheng, Chiang Hsiao-yen and Hung Hsiu-chu.[30]

Taiwanese branch of Bank of China

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The opening ceremony of the first Taiwanese branch of Bank of China.

On 27 June 2012, Wu attended the opening ceremony of the first Taiwanese branch of the Bank of China. The ceremony was held in Taipei and Wu was accompanied by Straits Exchange Foundation chairman Chiang Pin-kung, Bank of China president Li Lihui and the bank's Taiwan branch general manager Tsai Rong-jun.[31]

2013 Beijing visit

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Wu visited Beijing on 12–14 June 2013 to meet with Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party, for the first time since Xi took office, accompanied by high ranking KMT officials, such as Chan Chun-po, Hung Hsiu-chu, Huang Min-hui and Su Chi. Accompanying Xi Jinping were Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and Zhang Zhijun from the CPC.[32][33]

2013 Yunnan CCP secretary visit

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During a meeting between Wu and visiting Yunnan CCP committee secretary, Qin Guangrong, to Taiwan in mid September 2013, Wu said that Taiwan and mainland China should put aside political questions and disagreements to facilitate bilateral exchanges. He said that by showing patience, setting aside differences and focusing on economic cooperation and cultural exchanges, more common areas such as lifestyle and values would emerge.

During the meeting, Qin encouraged Taiwanese businessmen to invest in Yunnan and make use of the province as the gateway to Southeast Asia and South Asia, creating business opportunities. He added that Yunnan welcomes Taiwanese farmers, township wardens, teachers, students, media and religious and business representatives. Qin's delegation, which consisted of more than 200 people, participated in several activities while in Taiwan, such as promoting bilateral exchanges in education, culture, technology, tourism and civil aviation.[34]

2013 Nanjing visit

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In October 2013, Wu traveled to Nanjing, Jiangsu to give a speech at the Xianlin campus of Nanjing University.[35]

Personal life

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Outside of Taiwanese politics, Wu is a prominent and practicing Buddhist and plays an active role in the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order. Before he ascended to the KMT chairmanship, Wu served as the second worldwide president of the Buddha's Light International Association.[36]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Lien says nation cannot afford KMT Taipei loss - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 29 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Who's Who in the ROC [2012]" (PDF). Executive Yuan. 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  3. ↑ Chen, Yung-hsing (2021-06-15). "Wu Honglin (1899-1995), a doctor from a family that produced three generations of county magistrates in Taoyuan". Taiwan People News (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-12-26 – via Yahoo News.
  4. ↑ "Inauguration of the ROC's Seventh Presidential Team". Taiwan Review. Government Information Office, Republic of China. 1 June 1984. Retrieved 21 August 2026 – via Taiwan Today.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Rise of the Zhongli Wu family from the Japanese Colonial Period to the Early Postwar Era" (PDF). The Journal of Taoyuan History (in Chinese) (12). Taoyuan, Taiwan: Taoyuan City Government: 7–28. September 2021. ISSN 2414-7729. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  6. ↑ 歷任部長－吳伯雄 [Former ministers: Wu Po-hsiung]. 內政部全球資訊網 [Ministry of the Interior] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Ministry of the Interior, Republic of China (Taiwan). Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 陳, 世芳; 張, 佳琇; 張, 泓斌 (September 2017). 信任、團結、感恩的心——吳伯雄先生訪談紀錄 [Trust, unity, and a grateful heart: Interview with Wu Po-hsiung] (PDF). 桃園文獻 [Taoyuan Journal of History] (in Chinese (Taiwan)) (4). Taoyuan, Taiwan: 桃園市政府文化局: 109–124. ISSN 2414-7729. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  8. ↑ 何, 亞威 (1 April 1984). 實驗班同學——另一種抉擇 [Experimental-class classmates: Another choice]. 天下雜誌 [CommonWealth Magazine] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). No. 35. Taipei, Taiwan: 天下雜誌股份有限公司. ISSN 1015-2784. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "List of Recipients of the NCKU Distinguished Alumni Award" (PDF) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). National Cheng Kung University. 2023. p. 1. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 第五任董事長：吳伯雄先生（任期2021年4月至2025年12月） [Fifth chairman: Wu Po-hsiung (term April 2021–December 2025)]. 財團法人中華民國中山學術文化基金會 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei, Taiwan: Sun Yat-sen Academic and Cultural Foundation. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  11. 1 2 李, 瑟 (1 October 1988). 台北挑戰吳伯雄 [Taipei challenges Wu Po-hsiung]. 天下雜誌 [CommonWealth Magazine] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). No. 89. Taipei, Taiwan: 天下雜誌股份有限公司. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  12. ↑ 劉, 冠廷 (29 November 2024). 吳伯雄夫婦歡慶鑽石婚捐款4000萬 藍營要角齊聚 [Wu Po-hsiung and wife celebrate diamond wedding anniversary and donate NT$40 million]. 中央通訊社 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei, Taiwan. Central News Agency. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  13. ↑ 中小企業銀行 [Small and medium business bank]. 國家文化記憶庫 [National Cultural Memory Bank] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan). Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  14. ↑ 莊, 天賜 (September 2021). 日治到戰後初期中壢吳家的崛起與發展 [The rise and development of the Zhongli Wu family from the Japanese colonial period to the early postwar era] (PDF). 桃園文獻 [Taoyuan Journal of History] (in Chinese (Taiwan)) (12). Taoyuan, Taiwan: 桃園市政府文化局: 7–28. ISSN 2414-7729. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  15. ↑ 陳, 婕如 (June 2018). 中壢事件對桃園客家族群政治發展之研究 [The Chungli Incident and the political development of the Hakka community in Taoyuan] (PDF) (Master's thesis) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taoyuan, Taiwan: Department of Hakka Language and Social Sciences, National Central University. p. 54. Retrieved 21 August 2026 – via Hakka Affairs Council.
  16. ↑ 陳, 佳德 (May 2023). 1970年代國民黨派系替代政策重探：兼論1977年黨外崛起的因素 [Re-examining the Kuomintang's faction replacement policy in the 1970s: With a discussion of factors in the rise of the Tangwai in 1977] (PDF). 選舉研究 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 30 (1): 89–144. doi:10.6612/tjes.202305_30(1).0003. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 劉, 阿榮 (September 2010). 賴, 澤涵 (ed.). 新修桃園縣志：地方自治志 [New Revised Taoyuan County Gazetteer] (PDF) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taoyuan, Taiwan: 桃園縣政府. p. 188. Retrieved 21 August 2026 – via Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government.
  18. ↑ 劉, 阿榮 (September 2010). 賴, 澤涵 (ed.). 新修桃園縣志：地方自治志 [New Revised Taoyuan County Gazetteer: Local Self-Government Gazetteer] (PDF) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taoyuan, Taiwan: 桃園縣政府. pp. 186, 192. Retrieved 21 August 2026 – via Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government.
  19. ↑ 劉, 阿榮 (September 2010). 賴, 澤涵 (ed.). 新修桃園縣志：地方自治志 [New Revised Taoyuan County Gazetteer: Local Self-Government Gazetteer] (PDF) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taoyuan, Taiwan: 桃園縣政府. pp. 183, 196. Retrieved 21 August 2026 – via Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government.
  20. 1 2 劉, 阿榮 (September 2010). 賴, 澤涵 (ed.). 新修桃園縣志：地方自治志 [New Revised Taoyuan County Gazetteer: Local Self-Government Gazetteer] (PDF) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taoyuan, Taiwan: 桃園縣政府. p. 196. Retrieved 21 August 2026 – via Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government.
  21. ↑ 歷屆主席：吳伯雄 [Former chairmen: Wu Po-hsiung]. 中國國民黨全球資訊網 [Kuomintang Official Website] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Kuomintang. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  22. ↑ 陳, 婕如 (June 2018). 中壢事件對桃園客家族群政治發展之研究 [The Chungli Incident and the Political Development of the Hakka Community in Taoyuan] (PDF) (Master's thesis) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taoyuan, Taiwan: Department of Hakka Language and Social Sciences, National Central University. p. 75. Retrieved 21 August 2026 – via Hakka Affairs Council.
  23. ↑ 劉, 阿榮 (September 2010). 賴, 澤涵 (ed.). 新修桃園縣志：地方自治志 [New Revised Taoyuan County Gazetteer: Local Self-Government Gazetteer] (PDF) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taoyuan, Taiwan: 桃園縣政府. p. 183. Retrieved 21 August 2026 – via Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government.
  24. ↑ "Taiwan Today - President Lee approves Premier Hau's Cabinet shuffle". Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  25. ↑ "Kuomintang News Network". Kmt.org.tw. 1991-05-20. Archived from the original on 2014-07-09. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  26. ↑ Liao, George "KMT's Ma announces his support for Wu as party's new chairman Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine" Taiwan News
  27. ↑ "Not found". Retrieved April 8, 2007.[dead link]
  28. ↑ "KMT chairman Wu Po-hsiung visiting Beijing". The China Post. 2009-05-26. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  29. ↑ "'One country, two areas' proposed by Wu Po-hsiung". Taipei Times. 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  30. ↑ "KMT honorary chairman to visit Beijing|Politics|chinadaily.com.cn". Usa.chinadaily.com.cn. 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  31. ↑ "Bank of China opens its first Taiwanese branch - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 28 June 2012.
  32. ↑ "KMT, CPC top brass to discuss 'major issues'". The China Post. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  33. ↑ "Kuomintang News Network". Kmt.org.tw. 2013-06-10. Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  34. ↑ "Taiwan, China should put aside disputes: KMT's Wu". Taipei Times. 2014-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  35. ↑ "KMT honorary chairman visits Nanjing University CCTV News - CNTV English". 2013-06-13. Archived from the original on 2013-11-10. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  36. ↑ "Wu Po-hsiung chaired the panel of moderators, with Lee Jih-Chu, ... "
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