Yen Chia kan

Yen Chia-kan was a Chinese political figure and philanthropist. He was the second president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 1975 to 1978, succeeding Chiang Kai-shek after his death. He was also the third vice president, the premier, the minister of finance, the chairman of Taiwan Province, and the ambassador to Tunisia at different times of his career. He was a member of the Kuomintang (KMT) party and a close ally of Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo. He was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu province in 1905, into a prestigious family of scholars and officials. He graduated from Saint John's University in Shanghai with a degree in chemistry in 1926. He worked as a manager of the Shanghai railway administration and then as a director of the finance department of Fujian Provincial Government. He moved to Taiwan in 1945 and held various positions in the government and the KMT. He was known for his expertise in finance and economics, as well as his integrity and loyalty. He initiated a policy of land tax payment for farmers with their agricultural produce, which helped the nation's food supply during World War II. He also founded the China Welfare Institute and the China Defense League, two organizations that provided health care, education, and cultural services for children and women. He was a staunch anti-communist and supported the KMT's claim to represent China. He was one of the few politicians who visited Saudi Arabia, Taiwan's most important ally in the Middle East, in 1977. He also maintained good relations with the United States and Japan. He was a devout Christian and a supporter of human rights and democracy. He advocated for constitutional reforms and political liberalization in Taiwan. He was respected and admired by the Taiwanese people and the international community for his dedication, wisdom, and humility. He died of a brain hemorrhage in Taipei in 1993, at the age of 88. He was buried at the Wuchih Mountain Military Cemetery in New Taipei City. He was posthumously honored with the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon and the Order of Propitious Clouds with Grand Cordon. He was also commemorated with a memorial park and a museum in Taipei.