Chiang Kai-shek’s closest general, the premier and vice-president who led Taiwan’s land reform
Born in 1898 to a peasant family in Qingtian, Zhejiang, he joined the Kuomintang in 1920 and won Chiang Kai-shek’s trust at the Whampoa Military Academy. He rose as a commander in the Northern Expedition and the campaigns against the Red Army, and in the war against Japan commanded at Wuhan and led the Chinese Expeditionary Force. He became the first chief of the general staff in 1946 but suffered a string of defeats in the Northeast in 1947. As governor of Taiwan in 1949 he declared martial law and capped farm rents at 37.5 per cent of the harvest. As premier in 1950–1954 and 1958–1963 he completed the land reform; he was vice-president from 1954 and KMT vice-director-general from 1957. He died of liver cancer in 1965.
Also known as: Chen Tsi-siou · Chen Cixiu
Activities and affiliations
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1920–1965
Political and party leadership
- Vice-Director-General of the Kuomintang1957–1965
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1931–1944
Republic of China state institutionsCommander in the National Revolutionary Army
Military command -
1944–1948
Republic of China state institutionsMinister of War; Chief of the General Staff
Military command -
1949
Republic of China state institutionsGovernor of Taiwan Province
Government and administration -
1950–1954
Republic of China state institutionsPresident of the Executive YuanHeads of state, government and party of China
Political and party leadership -
1954–1965
Republic of China state institutionsVice President
Government and administration -
1958–1963
Republic of China state institutionsPresident of the Executive YuanHeads of state, government and party of ChinaMain
Political and party leadership
Career Timeline
- 1920Joined the Kuomintang
- 1922.06Graduated in artillery from Baoding Military Academy
- 1924Instructor at the Whampoa Military Academy
- 1931–1934Commanded campaigns against the Red Army
- 1938Commanded at Wuhan; Secretary-General of the Three Principles of the People Youth Corps
- 1943Commander of the Chinese Expeditionary Force
- 1944.11.20–1946.06.01Minister of War
- 1946.06.01–1948.05.12First Chief of the General Staff
- 1947.09.02Director of the Northeast Headquarters
- 1949.01.05–12Governor of Taiwan Province
- 1949.05.19Declared martial law in Taiwan
- 1950.03.10–1954.06.01President of the Executive Yuan
- 1954.03.24–1965.03.05Vice President
- 1957.10–1965.03.05Vice-Director-General of the Kuomintang
- 1958.07.15–1963.12.16President of the Executive Yuan