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Chen Shih-chung

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Chen.
Chen Shih-chung
陳時中
Official portrait, 2024
Minister without Portfolio
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 May 2024
Prime MinisterCho Jung-tai
4th Minister of Health and Welfare
In office
8 February 2017 – 17 July 2022
Prime MinisterLin Chuan
William Lai
Su Tseng-chang
Deputy
See list
Preceded byLin Tzou-yien
Succeeded byHsueh Jui-yuan
Commander-General of the Central Epidemic Command Center
During COVID-19
24 January 2020 – 17 July 2022
Prime MinisterSu Tseng-chang
DeputyChen Tsung-yen
Preceded byChou Jih-haw
Succeeded byWang Pi-sheng
National Policy Advisor to the President
In office
20 May 2016 – 7 February 2017
PresidentTsai Ing-wen
Deputy Minister of Department of Health
In office
29 June 2005 – 20 May 2008
MinisterHou Sheng-mao
Personal details
BornDecember 1952 (age 71)
Taipei, Taiwan
Political partyDemocratic Progressive Party
SpouseSun Wan-ling
Children2 sons
Alma materTaipei Medical College
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionDentist

Chen Shih-chung (Chinese: 陳時中; pinyin: Chén Shízhōng; Wade–Giles: Chʻên2 Shih2-chung1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Sî-tiong; born December 1952) is a Taiwanese politician. He served as Minister of Health and Welfare from 2017 to 2022, gaining wide recognition in 2020 as the public face of Taiwan's COVID-19 efforts.[1] He was the Democratic Progressive Party candidate for Taipei Mayor in the 2022 election.[2]

Early life

Chen graduated from the School of Dentistry of Taipei Medical College in 1977.[3]

Early career

Chen became the director of Taipei City Dentists Association in 1987 and stayed in the position until he was promoted to executive director in 1991. In 1993–1995, he was the president of the association. In 1995–1999, he was the president of Taiwan Dental Association and in 1995-2005 executive director and CEO of the association.[citation needed]

Political career

In 1995–1996, he was the commissioner of the medical review committee of the Health Department of Taipei City Government. In 1993-1998 and 1999–2000, he was the commissioner of the dentist advisory committee of the Department of Health. In 1996-1999 and 2005–2006, he was the commissioner of the national health insurance supervisory committee of the department. At the same time (1996-2008), he was also the commissioner of the national health insurance medical expenditure negotiation committee of the department.[4]

Ministry of Health and Welfare

At a press conference after being sworn in as the health and welfare minister on 8 February 2017, Chen said that he would continue the current policy of the ministry and would try to avoid big personnel changes.[5]

2017 World Health Assembly

Chen flew to Geneva, Switzerland, and arrived on 20 May 2017 despite the absence of invitation for Taiwan to attend the World Health Assembly in 2017. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the arrangement for Chen to attend bilateral meetings outside the assembly including other events, such as press conference, interviews and Taiwan Night held by non-governmental organization.[6]

COVID-19 pandemic

Chen has become widely recognized in Taiwan as the main speaker at daily press conferences given by the Taiwan Centre for Disease Control (CDC). His approval rating in a poll released on 26 March 2020 was 91%.[7] A 26 April 2022 poll revealed that Taiwanese were split over the government's policy to "coexist with COVID", with slightly more people opposed than in favor. Among the respondents, 46.3% percent stated that they disapproved of the policy, and 45% indicated their approval.[8]
On 7 May 2022, Taiwan reported 46,377 new cases, overtaking the United States as the highest daily new case region.[9] Chen said it is on track to reach up to 100,000 new infections daily.[10]

Chen tested positive for COVID-19 on 12 June, and recovered on 24 June.[11][12]

Later political career

Chen was named the Democratic Progressive Party candidate for the Taipei mayoralty in July 2022.[13][14] On 14 July 2022, Chen announced his resignation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, citing a need to focus on his first campaign for electoral office.[15][16] He formally stepped down on 18 July 2022.[17] In the election held November 26, 2022, Chen lost to Chiang Wan-an.[18]

2022 Taipei mayoral election result[19]
Party # Candidate Votes Percentage
Kuomintang (KMT) 6 Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) 575,590 42.29%
Democratic Progressive (DPP) 12 Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) 434,558 31.93%
Independent 8 Huang Shan-shan (黃珊珊) 342,141 25.14%
Others 8,662 0.64%
Total 1,360,951 100.00%
Voter turnout 67.70%

Personal life

Chen raised two children.[20] His family also has a dog, Yenpa.[21]

References

  1. ^ Peng, Sydney (27 January 2022). "Chen Shih-chung: Understanding trumps confrontation". CommonWealth Magazine. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  2. ^ Lee, I-chia (28 November 2022). "2022 ELECTIONS: Defeated Taipei candidates Chen, Huang thank voters". Taipei Times. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Chen Shih-chung, Minister of Health and Welfare". Ministry of Health and Welfare. 8 February 2017. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  4. ^ "About the Minister". Ministry of Health and Welfare. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  5. ^ Lee, I-chia (9 February 2017). "Health minister vows to stay the course". Taipei Times. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  6. ^ "Taiwan's minister of health to attend bilater". 22 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Taiwan's 'Iron Minister' deli". 28 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Taiwanese split on 'coexisting with COVID' policy". 26 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Worldmeters".
  10. ^ "Taiwan Is Abandoning Its Zero-COVID Strategy in Favor of a 'New Model' of Coronavirus Containment". Time. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  11. ^ "陳時中確診！ 指揮中心：身體狀況良好" [Chen Shih-chung has tested positive! CECC: his condition is good]. Liberty Times (in Traditional Chinese). 12 June 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  12. ^ "解隔5天終於快篩陰 陳時中：已完全康復" [Finally tested negative after 5 days of being released from quarantine Chen Shih-chung: I have fully recovered]. Yahoo News and Radio Taiwan International (in Traditional Chinese). 24 June 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  13. ^ Wen, Kuei-hsiang; Lee, Hsin-Yin (10 July 2022). "Health minister tapped as DPP candidate for Taipei mayoral race". Central News Agency. Retrieved 10 July 2022. Republished as: Chen, Yun; Liu, Tzu-hsuan (11 July 2022). "DPP tips health minister to run for Taipei mayor". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  14. ^ Yeh, Su-ping; Chen, Yi-hsuan; Lo, James (10 July 2022). "Health minister accepts DPP's preliminary mayoral nomination". Central News Agency. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  15. ^ Lai, Yu-chen; Yeh, Su-ping; Kuo, Chien-shen; Teng, Pei-ju (13 July 2022). "Health minister named DPP candidate for Taipei mayoral race, vows to win". Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  16. ^ Teng, Pei-ju (14 July 2022). "Chen resigns as health minister to focus on run for Taipei mayor". Central News Agency. Retrieved 14 July 2022. Republished as: "Chen Shih-chung to resign to focus on race". Taipei Times. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  17. ^ Chen, Yu-ting; Chang, Min-hsuan; Ko, Lin (18 July 2022). "Taipei mayoral candidate vows to reintroduce monetary gifts to seniors". Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  18. ^ Lee, I-chia (28 November 2022). "2022 ELECTIONS: Defeated Taipei candidates Chen, Huang thank voters". Taipei Times. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Chiang Wan-an wins Taipei for KMT in tight three-way mayoral race".
  20. ^ 王涵秋 (23 December 2013). "圓父遺願 教授捐千冊書". United Daily News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  21. ^ Ho, Yu-hua; Tsai, Ya-hua; Liu, Tzu-hsuan (23 August 2022). "DPP Taipei mayoral campaign launches donations account". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
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