In the 1960s, there was a popular saying in Taiwan: “Come to National Taiwan University (NTU); Go to the United States.” After a long journey of democratic movements, Taiwan lifted martial law, leading to a wave of Taiwanese Americans returning home. In the 1990s, they started to “return to Taiwan.” On September 7th (Saturday), the Taiwanese American Association in Los Angeles held a “Elderly Lecture,” inviting Xie Qingshi, Xu Qinghuang, and Guo Qingjiang to share their experiences of contributing to Taiwan upon their return.
How did Taiwan transform from being known for its manufacturing industry to becoming a tech island? The Executive Director of the Taiwanese Association, Lin Rong Song, hopes that through the “Elderly Lecture,” the younger generation can understand Taiwan’s history and, in doing so, inherit the past to pave the way for the future. This will enable more successors to enhance Taiwan’s scientific and technological visibility internationally.
In 1968, Xie Qingshi obtained a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from NTU before studying abroad. In 1973, he earned a master’s degree in Computer Information Control from the University of Michigan in the United States, followed by a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the same university in 1975. He returned to Taiwan in 1995 and held positions such as Special Researcher at the National Science Council’s Space Program Office, Director of the Formosat-3 Program, and Vice Chairman of the National Science and Technology Commission of the Executive Yuan (now the National Science and Technology Commission). During his tenure, he successfully supervised the launches of Formosat-2 and Formosat-3 satellites, as well as the completion of the high-speed rail vibration reduction project in the Southern Science Park before the high-speed rail operation began. He also promoted programs like “Hou Niao” and “Bo Le,” attracting over 4,000 outstanding overseas Taiwanese talents to return to Taiwan for internships and employment over the last 13 years.
However, in 2006, Xie Qingshi was implicated in the “Southern Science Park Vibration Reduction Case” and was detained by the prosecutor’s office for 59 days. He was later charged with embezzlement, faced a 15-year prison sentence, and a fine of 30 million Taiwan dollars. He was acquitted on July 30, 2008, and the High Court upheld the decision on August 15, 2012. Xie Qingshi published a book titled “Xie Qingshi’s Life Vibrations,” recounting his journey and expressing that if given another chance, he would still choose to return to Taiwan and contribute without regrets.
Guo Qingjiang graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering. He worked at Boeing and Rockwell in the United States before returning to Taiwan after the lift of the blacklist in 1991. In 1995, he became a consultant to the Taipei City Government under Chen Shui-bian’s administration, contributing to the completion of the first Taipei MRT line. During President Chen Shui-bian’s tenure, Guo Qingjiang served as the Deputy Chair of the Public Works Committee and the Vice Executive Director of the 921 Earthquake Reconstruction Committee. He was involved in projects such as the Xueshan Tunnel, the Yuanshanzi Diversion Project, and the Keelung River Remediation Project, promoting Taiwan’s “ecological engineering methods.”
However, controversies surrounded Guo Qingjiang during his tenure as Chairman and CEO of Hawker Pacific Aerospace. Between 2008 and 2013, he was restricted from leaving the country by the Special Investigation Division on charges of corruption without being questioned. Guo Qingjiang published a book titled “When Legislators and Law Enforcement Violate the Law,” narrating his five-year experience of political persecution and hoping to shed light on how the Special Investigation Division disregards Taiwan’s legal system.
Xu Qinghuang graduated with outstanding results from Kaohsiung Senior High School in 1960 and chose to study Electrical Engineering at NTU instead of accepting a direct admission offer to the Medical School at NTU. In 1966, he received research assistant scholarships from the University of California, Berkeley, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Deciding to pursue his studies at the State University of New York at Stony Brook’s Department of Electrical Engineering in 1967, he obtained his Ph.D. in 1972. Stony Brook University is a prestigious member of the American Association of Universities, ranking among the top 40 public research universities in the United States and globally as one of the top 1% of universities.
Xu Qinghuang is a professional aerospace engineer and a seasoned program manager who has worked at aerospace companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop, and Northrop Grumman. With over 40 years of practical experience in program management and technical fields, he is a founding member of the Taiwan Space Program Office, transferring the practical knowledge and technology he gained in the United States to Taiwan. He hopes that all Taiwanese Americans can stay rooted in Taiwan while having a global perspective. ◇