Wikipedia

Liao Cheng-hao

In this Chinese name, the family name is Liao.

Liao Cheng-hao (Chinese: 廖正豪; pinyin: Liào Zhèngháo; 30 March 1946 – 31 January 2022) was a Taiwanese politician and lawyer.

Liao Cheng-hao
廖正豪
Minister of Justice of the Republic of China
In office
10 June 1996 – 14 July 1998
Preceded byMa Ying-jeou
Succeeded byCheng Chung-mo
Personal details
Born(1946-03-30)30 March 1946
Lioujiao, Chiayi County, Taiwan, Republic of China
Died31 January 2022(2022-01-31) (aged 75)
Beitou, Taipei, Taiwan
NationalityRepublic of China
Political partyKuomintang (until 2000; 2005–2022)
Alma materNational Taiwan University (LLB, LLM, SJD)
University of Tokyo (MA)
Stanford University

Education and career

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Liao attended the National Taiwan University College of Law and served as deputy director-general of the Government Information Office and Executive Yuan before leading the Ministry of Justice's Investigation Bureau, starting in 1995.[1][2] Lao was the first MJIB leader without experience in intelligence. During his tenure, MJIB solved several high profile cases, such as corruption on the part of Chou Jen-shen [zh]. Liao was elevated to justice minister in 1996 and served until 1998. In his two-year tenure, Liao was well-regarded for confronting organized crime.[1] His opposition to organized crime included refusal to attend the Legislative Yuan's judicial committee meetings while Lo Fu-chu, a lawmaker allegedly associated with gangs, was a committee member.[3] As justice minister, Liao issued an ultimatum for gangs in Taiwan to disband.[4] While Liao led the justice ministry, he pursued former Chiayi County Council speaker Hsiao Teng-piao [zh] on a number of charges. Hsiao began avoiding authorities in 1996,[5] and only agreed to face the police in September 1999, more than a year after Liao had stepped down from the justice ministry.[6][7] Liao's exit from the Ministry of Justice was later attributed to his interference with the Investigation Bureau.[8] Reflecting on the influence of criminals in Taiwanese politics in 2010, Liao stated that the group gained prominence in the late 1980s, in the waning years of the martial law period, and peaked in the 1990s, when a third of county and municipal councilors had criminal backgrounds.[9]

In September 1999, Liao claimed that Vincent Siew had pressured him to wiretap phones illegally and advocated for the ministry to perform other illegal acts.[10] When Lien Chan and Siew formed the Kuomintang ticket for the 2000 presidential election, Liao refused to support the party.[10] Instead, Liao backed independent candidate James Soong.[11][12] Liao withdrew from the Kuomintang to serve as director of Soong's national campaign headquarters.[13] By 2001, both the People First Party and Kuomintang expressed support for Liao to run for Taipei County Magistrate.[14] The Pan-Blue Coalition later chose Wang Chien-shien as a fusion candidate, and he lost to Su Tseng-chang. In April 2005, Liao regained his Kuomintang membership to run in the party primary for Taipei magistrate.[15][16] The party nominated Chou Hsi-wei, who won the magistracy.

After withdrawing from politics, Liao established the Tosun Public Interest Foundation to help youth and former prisoners,[1][17] and advocated for improvement in Cross-Strait relations, focusing on legal and religious aspects.[1] Liao died at Cheng Hsin General Hospital [zh] in Beitou, Taipei, on 31 January 2022, at the age of 75.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Former justice minister Liao Cheng-hao dies at age 75". Central News Agency. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  2. ^ "The New Cabinet". Free China Review. 1 August 1996. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  3. ^ Huang, Joyce (22 September 2000). "Suspected gangster elected to judicial committee". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. ^ Chuang, Jimmy (11 November 2001). "Gang grew from band of inmates". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Ex-county council speaker will ask Chiayi prosecutor to reopen case". Taipei Times. 14 September 1999. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  6. ^ Lin, Irene (18 September 1999). "Fugitive councilor turns himself in". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  7. ^ Lin, Irene (29 June 2000). "Former politician to go to jail". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Editorial: A battle of wills over the MIJB". Taipei Times. 9 June 2000. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  9. ^ "FEATURE : Gangsters have a big say in politics". Taipei Times. 29 May 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Former justice minister blasts Premier Siew". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  11. ^ Engbarth, Dennis (14 March 2000). "Not all crows are the same shade of black". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  12. ^ Yen, Sen-lun; Chen, Lauren (18 March 2000). "Final campaign rallies light up Taipei--James Soong". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  13. ^ "More Soong supporters expelled from KMT". Taipei Times. 1 February 2000. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  14. ^ "KMT, PFP push former justice minister to run". Taipei Times. 7 July 2001. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  15. ^ "KMT primary heats up". Taipei Times. 19 April 2005. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  16. ^ Ko, Shu-ling (22 April 2005). "Legislator Lee Chia-chin drops out of commissioner race". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  17. ^ Lin, Jean (17 July 2006). "New camp bridges the Taiwan Strait with astronomy". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
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