A man earns respect from others for various reasons. Sometimes we are awed by a brilliant intelligence; sometimes we bow to unique talent; or maybe we just react to an attractive appearance. Former Premier of the Republic of China Sun Yun-suan was universally respected for his demonstrated sincerity, a steely integrity, and an understanding acceptance and tolerance of animated opposition.
He had no legend of heroic temperament. Mr. Sun rose to head the executive arm of the country from a career past as a slightly bigger-than-life engineer. His life story is remarkable, encouraging to all that know it.
Born in the domain of the Great Philosopher—Confucius' home province of Shantung—Sun Yun-suan was the scion of an established family. His father was a noted judge who taught him to be self-disciplined in his earliest childhood, and when he was grown, this parentally-induced personality characteristic was particularly appreciated by both his colleagues and superiors. It was at least one reason that his career in engineering and government service moved forward faster than others'.
He graduated from Harbin Polytechnical Institute in North China in 1934 and soon found a job in a power plant construction project at Lienyunkang, eastern terminus of the Kiangsu-Kansu Railway. He was promoted to besuperintendent of the Sining Power Station at Tsinghai, then chief of the Engineering Bureau of the Tienshui Power Station at Kansu. Next came a special opportunity to expand his vision at an international level—in 1942 he was sent by the ROC government to the pioneering Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in the United States for three years' advance training.
He returned to the mainland in 1945, and with four other engineers, was dispatched to take over the vast Manchurian mining and mineral operations from the Japanese after V-J day. However, a fateful telephone was ringing for him just before his plane's departure. The government wanted him stay over to host an invited American advisory group.
So, he did not go on to Manchuria which, with the help of the Russians, soon fell into Chinese Communist hands. The four engineers never returned. And Sun Yun-suan's developing career went onward, to become coincident with the "economic miracle" of Taiwan.
Electricity is said to be the mother of industry. In the last 34 years, industry on Taiwan has rapidly expanded, suckled on Taiwan Power Company's sufficient bounty. Sun's 18 years' service to Tai-power was instrumental in building its critical capability.
Linked to his training observations at TVA were career incentives created by Sun at Tai-Power. He saw to it that scholarships were provided for advanced training, and otherwise made working for the company one of the most sought-after careers on the island. At the time, he persuaded the government to allow him to run this government utility like a private company. It was soon the first government-run enterprise in Taiwan to pay taxes.
He kept the utility's budget lean and efficient; yet, he earned the capital to reinvest, and Tai-Power expanded year after year, winning both national and international recognition. The ROC government decorated Sun Yun-suan with its Order of the Brilliant Star in 1952. And in 1964, the World Bank persuaded him to take on the task of developing power production in the striving young nation of Nigeria.
On completion of his three year's service as chief executive officer and general manager of the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN), total electrical output in that country had increased by 88 percent. When his contract expired, the Nigerian President asked him to stay longer, but he missed his home in Taiwan and reluctantly turned down the request. His departure was described as a "big loss" by the Nigerpower Review.
In a tribute to Mr. Sun, the Electrical Worker's Union was to write: "It is with saddened mind that we have to miss Mr. YS. Sun....It is sad because Mr. Sun assumed the coveted post of General Manager at a time when the 'war of secession' was rife in the ECN. He saved the corporation from a successive wave of intrigues and character assassinations that had almost taken root and which might have flared up if he had not come at the nick of time. There's no doubting the fact that Mr. Sun has done more than anyone else to reclaim the glory that was ECN's. He has contributed immensely and energetically, in the wake, to redeeming the ECN from the quagmire of tribalism, favoritism, and nepotism."
From the mainland, to Taiwan, to Nigeria, Sun Yun-suan worked very successfully with a wide variety of people, and completed his endeavors successfully without coming under jealous criticism. Later, he was to enter a much more complex career arena.
It all happened quickly. At the end of the year he had returned from Nigeria (1967), he was appointed by President Chiang Kai-shek to be Minister of Communications. He was the youngest ROC cabinet member of that era.
Though his tenure as Minister of Communications was only for two years, he saw to the compilation of its long term plans: for the electric railway, north-south freeway, new international airport, and Taichung harbor—all later part of the Ten Major Construction Projects, one of the ROC government's biggest efforts and achievements, making possible today's upgraded industrial levels.
In 1969 he moved on to become Minister of Economic Affairs, holding that pivotal post for eight years and eight months. During his tenure, the island's economic structure underwent a fundamental change. Construction was undertaken on major steel producing facilities, a major shipyard, vast petrochemical industries, and three nuclear power plants. Agriculture was mechanized and the farm population rapidly reduced, yet total and individual farm income sharply increased. As a pragmatic disciple of free enterprise, Economic Minister Sun turned several government-run organizations in mining, agriculture, and industry over to the private sector.
In 1973-74, the energy crisis and the accompanying inflation rocked the world, and the island's economy was also buffeted by the storm. With Minister Sun's advice and efforts for policy implementation, then-Premier Chiang Ching kuo's administration restored the economy.
During Sun's eight years at Economic Affairs, total ROC exports rose from the US$1.06 billion in 1968 to the US$17.67 billion of 1977—an eight fold increase—and Taiwan was dubbed by world observers an "economic miracle."
Nevertheless, in spite of Sun Yun-suan's record, when President Chiang Ching-kuo appointed his Economic Minister to be Premier of the Republic of China on May 20, 1978, the announcement surprised not only the general public, but seasoned political observers. There were veteran government leaders in line before him, and the appointment jumped over all of them. The President had found the qualities he needed in the man he designated to lead the country toward full modernization.
It was to be a bitter-sweet six-year term for Premier Sun. He assumed office in mid-1978, and the ROC's historically, the United States, transferred its formal recognition to mainland China at the end of that year. It was a manifold blow to the new administration, since the U.S.A. was not only its paramount military ally and defense supplier, but the ROC's largest export market. The Taiwan Relations Act was passed by the U.S. Congress to assure adequate defensive weapon sales to Taiwan. And Premier Sun, in the turbulent aftermath of the diplomatic "emergency," went on to cultivate deep and pervasive economic relations as an alternative to official protocol. Today, though just 25 countries have formal diplomatic ties with the ROC, more than 140 have strong economic and cultural ties with this country. And ROC membership in functional international organizations increased from 392 to 644 in the six years. Premier Sun personally visited Saudi Arabia, South Korea, South Africa, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominica, and Indonesia to help assure productive and warm relationships.
Internally, turbulence also arose. On December 12, 1979, a large and violent demonstration, led by an opposition political grouping centered around Formosa Magazine, erupted in the major port city of Kaoshiung. With 183 policemen seriously injured, the leaders of the riot were charged and jailed. The nation's image in international society was damaged by the rioting, and its social coherence torn. However, the wounds were healed through the Premier's willingness to listen to other's views of national problems and his determination to maintain democracy on Taiwan—with the President's consistent mandate. Premier Sun read news clippings everyday on items of public concern. If he saw reason for public complaint, he would immediately instruct responsible organizations to remedy the situations.
To demonstrate the government's determination to forward the nation's democracy, he was forceful in building an infrastructure of law and process assuring fair and free elections. He would personally instruct the Ministry of Interior and the Central Election Commission on the occasion of each election to conduct themselves and election procedures in accord with both the spirit and letter of the laws. He appeared on television himself to ask the voters to cast their ballots according to their own wills and to reject vote-buying bribes.
Whenever he was contemplating shifts in major policy, he would invite representatives of concerned interest groups and scholars and other experts to his office and listen to their opinions. Through the years, this approach established a rapport with the public. Various polls showed that he was regarded by both the man on the street and professional groups as—aside from the President—the most popular political leader of the country.
With the world-wide recession of 1981-82, ROC exports slowed and incentives to invest in industry here declined. Premier Sun, himself a proven expert in economics, led his cabinet in formulation of policies to pass over the difficult time. Among the important measures: maintaining the nation's major construction projects and their economic contribution, relaxing loan requirements, lowering interest rates, readjusting exchange rates, improving the investment environment, and many others.
The island marked up a 3.9 percent economic growth rate in 1982, rising to 7.1 percent in 1983. The first half of 1984, compared to 1983, has already shown 10 percent progress. Foreign trade reached a record US$45.4 billion last year, and the ROC is now ranked the 12th largest exporting country in the world economic community by the International Monetary Fund. And although export volume and investment increased substantially last year, the price index remained stable.
These remarkable results were certainly not made possible by Premier Sun alone, yet his leadership and the respect in which he was held by private enterprises and citizens also, certainly helped bring it all about.
The Republic of China is now in its best shape ever, and the shock was, therefore, so much more sudden—unbelievable—when this truly popular man who had worked so hard for the country was struck down by a cerebral hemorrhage.
When the public learned that the Premier had been struck down, the reactions were enormous. Among the more touching:
—One man wrote to Sun's family, telling them that if the Premier needed any replacement organ at all, he would like to donate it to him. And he said he was very serious.
—A child brought a perch to the hospital for the Premier, explaining that his mother successfully fed his father on this fish after his father's operation. So he asked his mother to buy a perch for him, but came alone to see the Premier.
—Four children (two were 11, the other two 9 and 7) opened almost 45 patient rooms in Veterans General Hospital until a nurse saw them and asked what they were doing. They wanted to find the Premier. When the nurse said the Premier was sleeping, they wrote a letter to him and said in it they couldn't come back, because they had spent all they had to take a taxi from the other side of the city.
—A well-known opposition legislative member petitioned the government to present a special award to Sun Yun-suan for his devoted service to the nation.
Of all the thousands of responses, these are among those the Sun family themselves found most touching.
Later, the government confirmed that Premier Sun's health would not allow him to continue in office. His cabinet resigned on May 17, and President Chiang Ching-kuo appointed him a senior advisor to the President a week later.
On May 24, Mr. Sun, Premier emeritus, appeared on TV screens and addressed the nation. His hair had turned quite grey, strain showed in his face, and tears glistened in his eyes. A life of energy, effort, dedication, and achievement had been brought to halt by the ravages of work and age. In the nation too, there were no dry eyes— perhaps, selfishly, we all grieved even more to go on without him than for him. But neither motive was forced or scant.
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His career and interview with three women in his life for — A Look at the Personal Side
His wife, daughter, and secretary are usually, in combination, the three people who know a man best. He might, for example, tell one thing to his wife and not to his secretary, and mention something to the secretary or daughter and not to the wife. So each woman will know only a part of a man's complete daily story. But get the three women together to discuss the man, and the profile quickly fills out.
Free China Review, in accord with this theory, jointly interviewed the three women most involved in the life of former Premier of the Republic of China, Sun Yun-suan. The objective was a more personal profile of Mr. Sun Yun-suan.
Mrs. Sun is what the Chinese like to consider a typical, traditional Chinese lady—elegant, sober, and subtle. Lucy Sun has a Ph.D. in chemistry and a very bright and pleasant manner—her easy style turned the interview into a delightful conversation. Mrs. Yao, who has worked as Mr. Sun's personal secretary for over 15 years, became a part of his family and is called "Aunt Yao" by Lucy. Her years with the former Premier have given her special insight into one of the most popular leaders in the history of this country.
We give you highlights of the interview, below, in terse question-answer format:
Mrs. Sun, how did you come to know Mr. Sun in the first place?
Mrs. Sun—My then husband-to-be and my brother, Yu En-ying, worked for the same government agency long ago, but were never acquainted until they met in the United States. Yun-suan was sent by the Ministry of Economics to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and my brother was studying at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, then worked for TVA. My brother and I corresponded. Sometimes I sent him my recent photographs, and he showed them to Yun-suan. Maybe that was how he first got to know me.
Lucy—Should I tell the inside story? My dad told me that my uncle played a trick on them. Uncle wanted to introduce Mom to Pa, but he didn't at first know how. Then one day he told Pa that he was going to introduce a coed classmate to him, and asked Mom to be her companion. Uncle knew Dad liked family-oriented, quiet girls and disliked the ambitious, aggressive type. And his classmate was an ambitious beauty. So he purposely arranged to get them all together. He predicted that Dad would go after Mom, and he was right.
Mrs. Sun—After the first meeting he came to my house everyday. That all happened in Nanking. I remember one day my mother, brother, sister-in-law, and Yun-suan and I were going to the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Maosoleum. He thought I would take a horse cab with him, but I took it with my mother; he was so upset!
What impressed you most about Mr. Sun?
Mrs. Sun—He was so tall. Before, I had been introduced to a few young men, but most were no taller than I. Compared to other southern girls, I was very tall. I didn't want to marry a man shorter than I, and when I met him, I was already 29 years old and still single. Before I met Yun-suan, I had already decided never to marry.
Lucy—Oh, more than that—Dad was very humorous and interesting. At that time Daddy was seeing many girls, including foreign girls. Coincidently, both Mom and Pa's parents were in a hurry to get them married. And soon they married.
Mrs. Sun (embarrassed)—Can you save a few words?
What was Mr. Sun's first reaction when he was appointed Premier?
Mrs. Sun—Yun-suan told me more than once before, that he preferred being an engineer to being a politician. But lots of things in our lives are not rejectable. Yun-suan told me, if the President wanted him to serve the country, he would do his best.
Mrs. Yao—Mr. Sun was worried about his weak heart, and his heart was in trouble in 1977. He was afraid that his health would not allow him to take on such a heavy job, and he was concerned that he might not be able to handle interpellations well at the Legislative Yuan. Also he was not sure he could fill the shoes of his predecessor in the post—Chiang Ching-kuo.
Lucy—I was in the United States. When I heard the news (of his appointment as Premier), I called my father and said to him. "How can you do it!" Actually, the whole family was worried about Pa's health more than being happy for him.
During Premier Sun's six-year term, when there was a crisis, how did he respond to it?
Mrs. Sun—I never asked him about his work. But I could tell when something bothered him—his face was so long. I would then ask our two grandchildren to play with him.
Mrs. Yao—So many things happened over the last six years and some were really critical. Yet Premier Sun was always calm. I remember he often told us that the government should not be emotional in dealing with any event.
When we would see Premier Sun on television, he always seemed serene. How was he in private? Did he get angry quite often?
Mrs. Sun—No.
Lucy—Yes, he was impatient sometimes. Usually, I was the troublemaker. Pa likes to attend parties and concerts a couple of minutes earlier than the scheduled time. But I like to wait until the last minute. So sometimes he gets impatient with me. One of the things he likes about Mom the most, is that Mom is always quick. No matter how late it might be, if father suddenly told Mom a special occasion had come up—to meet people as Premier—and he needed her to go with him, she would always finish dressing in time and never let Pa worry.
Mrs. Yao—One time I went with him on an official visit to several Central American countries. Our first reception was scheduled at 8 o'clock. So he told everybody to be in the hotel lobby at 7:30, and when we went downstairs at 7:25, he was already there. We arrived at the appointed place at 8 o'clock, but the host was not yet there. The ROC Ambassador told the Premier that in that particular country, it was always okay to arrive half an hour late. But the Premier told him that as long as the invitation card said 8 o'clock, and he represented the ROC government, he would be there at 8 o'clock. All the meetings after that for Premier Sun started on time.
Right after the recent cerebral hemorrhage, what worried him most?
Mrs. Sun—After the stroke, the first thing he told me was that there were two words in the oral report he had prepared for the Legislative Yuan that needed to be corrected.
Mrs. Yao—The first thing he did when he regained consciousness after the stroke was to ask the Vice Premier to come to the hospital so he could pass the oral report over to him. Then he began to blame himself. He felt sorry for the concern he caused the President and the public. He felt as if he were irresponsible, as if he had done something wrong.
How do you play that role—standing behind a successful man?
Mrs. Sun—I never got involved in his work. All I did was to look after his mother, four sisters and our children. So he wouldn't be worried about the family.
Mrs. Yao—Mrs. Sun is being too humble. She takes care of Mr. Sun's every little thing, especially his health. For example, when Mr. Sun was the Economics Minister, there were so many occasions for him to eat out. Mrs. Sun was concerned that he would eat too much high-protein party food, so she always prepared a bowl of noodles before he left, hoping he wouldn't eat too much at the party.
Mrs. Sun—That didn't work; he still always ate as much as he could. At home, I only let him eat what is permitted by our doctor.
Lucy—Dad's life was miserable that way. Every time I saw Dad at a reception on television news, I saw him munch the food. Everyone could tell this man did not get enough food at home. Also Dad was weighed before he went abroad by Mom, and she ordered him to keep the same weight for his return. Dad told us that he ate as much as he could enjoy in the first two weeks of the trip, and dieted in the following weeks.
What was Premier Sun's routine at home?
Mrs. Sun—If there was no party, he would come home after six. He would play with his two grandchildren before dinner, then watch the evening news. After that, he would work in his study. Usually, he went to bed around 11 p.m.
How did he react if he saw some problem on the news?
Lucy—He would look for a piece of paper everywhere and write his thoughts down, and give it to Aunt Yao next morning.—Right, Aunt Yao? Didn't he constantly give you pieces of paper. Sometimes we bugged him: "Why didn't you do this; why didn't you do that?" and he would call us his small Legislative Yuan.
What did Mr. Sun do for personal recreation or entertainment?
Mrs. Sun—If we had free weekends, he liked to take the family to the countryside or the beach, sometimes to the parks in the city. Before he took a government position, he liked to play chess and bridge.
Mrs. Yao—The Premier likes classical music. Before, he only attended those concerts he liked. But when he became Premier, he had to be present at various types of musicals, dances, opera evenings etc., whether he liked them or not. He wanted to encourage artistic activities. That is how the Cultural Planning and Development Commission came to be.
Lucy—He particularly enjoys Tchaikovsky and Brahms.
In Mr. Sun's three years' service in Nigeria, he earned wide respect from both the Nigerian government and public, according to Nigerian newspapers. Can you tell us how?
Mrs. Sun—When Yun-suan took up the post of general manager of the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, there was a Nigerian chief associate who was unhappy that he was not promoted to that position. He had hired our cook, maid, and driver for us and told them to "spy on" us. However, later they became our real friends. One time, this subordinate official wanted to give a contract to the second bidder instead of the first. Yun-suan felt it was not right and was reluctant to hurt his feeling. So Yun-suan was considering resigning. The situation was noticed by the World Bank, and they acted to cut the power of the subordinate official. From then on, Yun-suan could do what he thought was good for the country's power situation. The blackouts in Nigeria were soon reduced from a couple times a day, to one or two times a week. I think because of his politeness to people and his dedication to his work, he was specially appreciated by Nigerians. I remember the day before we left the country, all the political parties staged a soccer contest in his honor—as his farewell.
It has been said that Mr. Sun is very devoted to his mother. Would you like to give us some examples?
Mrs. Sun—Filial piety is a person's natural attitude toward his parents. It is hard to give specific examples. Oh maybe this—When we were in Nigeria, we received a telex from Taipei telling us that Yun-suan's mother was ill. At that time, Nigeria was deep in civil war, and trying to go out of the country's airport was a very dangerous thing. But he insisted on going back to see his mother.
How is Mr. Sun's present condition?
Mrs. Sun—He is getting on well, the doctors are satisfied with the progress of his recuperation. Still, he is content with all the kids around. When he got sick, our children came home right away.
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For the Republic: Very special steps forward
During Premier Sun's six-year tenure, the nation has made substantial and cooperative progress in many fields:
—The structural separation of the judicial system from the administrative branch (Ministry of Justice) has been effected.
—Immediate access to attorneys by the criminally accused was assured by law.
—National compensation laws (allowing the citizen to claim damages against the government) have gone into effect.
—Culture centers were built in cities and counties, and a Council for Cultural Planning and Development was set up in November, 1981, to see to the preservation of cultural relics and traditions and to assist with music, fine arts, and folk activities.
—A Silicon Valley-like science-based industrial park was established in Hsinchu two years ago to encourage introduction and development of technology-intensive industry.
—A national medical network has been established and medical facilities sharply upgraded in outlying areas.
—Public television—carefully planned during Premier Sun's tenure —was initiated May 20,1984, and...
—Preparations are being accelerated for the projected major expansion of a rudimentary on-the-air university.
—The extension of free education to 12 years, primarily in vocational high schools, has been implemented on a trial basis since last August.
—National parks, an environmental protection agency, and a consumer protection agency were all established.