Liu Chao-shiuan

In this Chinese name, the family name is Liu.

Liu Chao-shiuan
劉兆玄
Premier of the Republic of China
In office 20 May 2008 – 10 September 2009
President	Ma Ying-jeou
Vice Premier	Paul Chiu
Preceded by	Chang Chun-hsiung
Succeeded by	Wu Den-yih
Vice Premier of the Republic of China
In office 11 December 1997 – 20 May 2000
Premier	Vincent Siew
Preceded by	John Chiang
Succeeded by	Yu Shyi-kun
2nd Central Committee of the Kuomintang
In office 20 May 2008 – 10 September 2009
Preceded by	Ma Ying-jeou
Succeeded by	Wu Den-yih
Minister of Transportation and Communications of the Republic of China
In office 27 February 1993 – 9 June 1996
Premier	Lien Chan
Preceded by	Eugene Chien
Succeeded by	Tsay Jaw-yang
Personal details
Born	(1943-05-10) 10 May 1943 Liuyang, Hunan, Republic of China
Nationality	Taiwan (Republic of China)
Political party	Kuomintang
Alma mater	National Taiwan University (BS) Université de Sherbrooke (MS) University of Toronto (Ph.D.)

Liu Chao-shiuan (Chinese: 劉兆玄; pinyin: Liú Zhàoxuán; born 10 May 1943) is a Taiwanese educator and politician. He is a former president of the National Tsing Hua University (1987–1993) and Soochow University (2004–2008) and a former Premier of the Republic of China (2008–2009).

Early life

Liu was born in Changsha, Hunan in 1943. He received his bachelor's degree from National Taiwan University in 1965, a master's from Université de Sherbrooke in 1968, and a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1971. He earned all of his academic degrees in the field of chemistry.

Liu is also an author, and, together with two of his brothers, has published novels of ancient Chinese rovers practicing martial arts under a pen name called "Shangguan Ding" (上官鼎).

Liu started to receive public attention when he was the President of National Tsing-hua University in Hsinchu before 1993. At that time, he and his school had just successfully hosted the annual unified college entrance examinations in Taiwan. He became the President of Soochow University in 2004.

Liu's nephew is Citizen University founder Eric Liu, who was a White House speechwriter and policy adviser for President Bill Clinton of the United States.

ROC Transportation Ministry

Liu was subsequently served as Minister of Transportation and Communications from 1993 to 1996.

ROC Vice Premiership

Liu next served as the Vice Premier from 1997 to 2000.

ROC Premiership

In April 2008, Liu was asked by current President Ma Ying-jeou to serve as the Premier of the Republic of China. He accepted the post and his term as Premier took effect with Ma's incoming administration on 20 May 2008.

Liu and his Cabinet resigned en masse on 10 September 2009, with Wu Den-yih succeeding the post of Premiership.

Liu had suffered mounting criticism over the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot, and had initially tendered his resignation to President Ma in mid-August. Liu, however, was asked by President Ma to remain and oversee initial relief efforts as they were carried out. Liu said, during his resignation announcement, that 90% of subsidies have been distributed and 92% of those displaced have been temporarily relocated.

See also

• Politics of the Republic of China
• Elections in the Republic of China