Taipei: Lee Tien-yu, a former defense minister revered for his pivotal role in modernizing Taiwan’s Air Force, has died at the age of 79. Lee passed away from pneumonia and other complications at the Tri-Service General Hospital in Taipei. His ashes will be interred at a military cemetery in the Bitan area of Xindian District, New Taipei, with no public memorial service planned.

According to Focus Taiwan, Lee’s illustrious career spanned decades, marked by his resilience and leadership. Born in Shandong province, China, in 1946, Lee relocated to Taiwan during the Kuomintang government’s retreat. A graduate of the Republic of China Air Force Academy, he survived three plane crashes as an active-duty pilot. Lee’s career saw him rise to commander-in-chief of the Air Force, chief of the general staff, and military strategy advisor to the president.

Lee’s tenure as commander-in-chief in the early 2000s was notable for transitioning the Air Force to second-generation fighter jets, including the Mirage 2000s, Indi
genous Defense Fighters, and F-16s. In May 2007, he was appointed defense minister by then-President Chen Shui-bian. However, his term was short-lived, ending in February 2008 over the controversial establishment of Taiwan Goal, a private arms firm where the Ministry of National Defense was the primary shareholder.

Lee’s legacy was further complicated by his involvement in the wrongful execution of 21-year-old Air Force private Chiang Kuo-ching in 1997. Chiang was posthumously exonerated in 2011 after it was revealed that torture was used to extract a false confession. In 2012, Lee was among several retired military officials given demerits for the case.