Liu Sung-pan (; 3 December 1931 — 18 November 2016) was a Taiwanese politician. He served as the
President of the Legislative Yuan
The president of the Legislative Yuan is the presiding officer of the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China. The incumbent president is Yu Shyi-kun, a Democratic Progressive Party legislator and the second DPP President of the Legislative ...
from 1992 to 1999. He was the
Legislative Yuan's first Taiwan-born speaker and presided over a legislature entirely elected by residents of the
Taiwan Area
The free area of the Republic of China, also known as the "Taiwan Area of the Republic of China", "Tai-Min Area (Taiwan and Fujian)" or simply the "Taiwan Area", is a term used by the government of the Republic of China (ROC) to refer to ...
(after the retirement of the elderly
mainland
Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...
representatives in December 1991).
Career
Liu founded a committee seeking Taiwan–United States relations in 1987. The group counted members of the US Congress and Legislative Yuan among its number. He was elected to the speakership of the
Legislative Yuan in January 1992. Upon his confirmation, Liu became the first native Taiwanese to lead the legislature. He was also the first to head a parliament entirely elected by residents of the
Taiwan Area
The free area of the Republic of China, also known as the "Taiwan Area of the Republic of China", "Tai-Min Area (Taiwan and Fujian)" or simply the "Taiwan Area", is a term used by the government of the Republic of China (ROC) to refer to ...
, as the elderly
mainland
Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...
representatives retired en masse at the end of 1991.
In 1998, during his tenure as legislative speaker, Liu used his status as the former chairman of
Taichung Commercial Bank
The Taichung Bank (), officially Taichung Commercial Bank, is a public bank headquartered in Taichung, Taiwan.
In 2015, Fitch Ratings assigned ratings to Taiwan's Taichung Commercial Bank (TCB) as follows: 'BB+' (BB plus) Long-term Issuer Defau ...
to broker a NT$1.5 billion loan to the Kuangsan Group, and in return he received a bribe of NT$150 million. During the subsequent investigation, Liu's house was raided.
He left the Kuomintang in 1999, after having served two full elected terms as President of the Yuan. Liu then allied himself with
James Soong
James Soong Chu-yu (born 16 March 1942) is a Taiwanese politician. He is the founder and current Chairman of the People First Party.
Born to a Kuomintang military family of Hunanese origin, Soong began his political career as a secretary to ...
's independent 2000 presidential campaign. After Soong's loss, Liu was named the leader of the New Taiwanese Service Team, an exploratory committee that preceded the formation of the
People First Party. After the end of Liu's speakership, he continued to lead Taiwan in negotiations with China and advocated for the nation to obtain membership in the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...
. Liu also backed the democratization of Myanmar and promoted
United States–Taiwan relations
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
.
Trial and temporary disappearance
The Taichung District Court convicted Liu for his role in the Kuangsan Group scandal in July 2003, sentencing him to five years imprisonment and NT$30 million fine. His final appeal was heard by the Taiwan High Court in September 2004. The THC handed Liu a four-year prison sentence and a NT$30 million fine. After the High Court's verdict was announced, Liu resigned his legislative seat. At the time, Liu was at the
Republican National Convention in the United States. While there, he suffered a heart attack and was not medically cleared to fly to Taiwan. Though Liu had relinquished his PFP membership a day after his resignation from the Legislative Yuan, the party offered to help him find medical treatment if he would serve his sentence in Taiwan. Liu never acknowledged the proposal, and was subsequently listed as a fugitive in February 2007. In the early 2010s, Liu was reported to have fled to China. Later, he returned to the United States, and died in Los Angeles on 18 November 2016, aged 84.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liu, Sung-pan
1931 births
2016 deaths
Kuomintang Members of the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan
Members of the 1st Legislative Yuan in Taiwan
Members of the 2nd Legislative Yuan
Members of the 3rd Legislative Yuan
Members of the 4th Legislative Yuan
Members of the 5th Legislative Yuan
Party List Members of the Legislative Yuan
People First Party Members of the Legislative Yuan
Taichung Members of the Legislative Yuan
Taiwanese expatriates in China
Taiwanese expatriates in the United States
Taiwanese politicians convicted of corruption
Taiwanese Presidents of the Legislative Yuan
Changhua County Members of the Legislative Yuan
Nantou County Members of the Legislative Yuan