{{Short description|Taiwanese economist}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kuan Chung-ming | native_name = {{nobold|管中閔}} | native_name_lang = zh-hant | image = Kuan Chung-ming 2021 (cropped).jpg | caption = Kuan in 2021 | office1 = President of National Taiwan University | deputy1 = | term_start1 = 8 January 2019 | term_end1 = 7 January 2023 | predecessor1 = {{ill|Tei-Wei Kuo|zh|郭大維}} (interim)<br>{{ill|Yang Pan-chyr|zh|楊泮池}} | successor1 = Chen Wen-chang | office2 = Minister of the National Development Council | deputy2 = Hwang Wang-hsiang, Chen Chien-liang, Sung Yu-hsieh | term_start2 = 22 January 2014 | term_end2 = 4 February 2015 | predecessor2 = ''Himself'' (as Minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development) | successor2 = Woody Duh | office3 = Minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development | deputy3 = Hwang Wang-hsiang, Chen Chien-liang, Chen Hsiao-hung | term_start3 = 18 February 2013 | term_end3 = 21 January 2014 | predecessor3 = Yiin Chii-ming | successor3 = ''Himself'' (as Minister of the National Development Council) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|8|15|df=y}} | birth_place = Taipei, Taiwan | party = | spouse = | children = | signature = | education = Chinese Culture University (BA)<br>University of California, Davis (MA)<br>University of California, San Diego (PhD) | module = {{Infobox scientist | child = yes | field = Econometrics | thesis_title = Estimation of neural network models | thesis_url = https://www.proquest.com/openview/369bd5626e01079a45acae90ba889696/1?cbl=18750&diss=y&pq-origsite=gscholar | thesis_year = 1989 | doctoral_advisor = Halbert White<br />Clive Granger }} }}
'''Kuan Chung-ming''' ({{zh|t=管中閔|p=Guǎn Zhōngmǐn}}; born 15 August 1956) is a Taiwanese economist and econometrician. He was the president of National Taiwan University from 2019 to 2023 and is a chair professor of finance at the university.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~ckuan/e-about.html |title=Chung-Ming Kuan |publisher=National Taiwan University |accessdate=4 August 2012 }}</ref>
Previously, Kuan was the last minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development from 2013 to 2014 and the first minister of its succeeding government agency, the National Development Council (NDC), from 2014 to 2015.
== Early life and education == Kuan was born in Taipei City on August 15, 1956. His father, Kuan Chi-yu (1920–2019), was from Huaining County, Anhui. His elder brother, Kuan Chung-ling, is a dentist who graduated from National Defense Medical Center. His younger brother, Kuan Chong-hui, earned a doctorate in industrial engineering and management from National Taiwan University and teaches at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.
After graduating from Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School in 1974, Kuan earned his bachelor's degree in economics in 1978 from Chinese Culture University. He then earned his M.A. in economics from the University of California, Davis, in 1984 and his Ph.D. in economics and econometrics from the University of California, San Diego, in 1989. His doctoral dissertation was titled, "Estimation of Neural Network Models".<ref name=":0" /> His doctoral advisors were economist Halbert White and Nobel Prize laureate Clive Granger.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Estimation of neural network models - ProQuest |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/369bd5626e01079a45acae90ba889696/1?cbl=18750&diss=y&pq-origsite=gscholar |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.proquest.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Political career== Kuan said in May 2013 that he was surprised at Taiwan's Q1 2013 economic growth rate of 1.54%, much lower than the forecast value of 3.26%. This was due to the low consumption by private sectors in Taiwan. Before the numbers were released, the CEPD aimed for Taiwan to show 4% overall economic growth that year, and to reach the original goal would require 5% economic growth for the remaining quarters of the year. However, investments in private sectors were rising at the time, an indication of a positive economic outlook.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Su|first1=Amy|title=Economy rises a lackluster 1.54 percent|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2013/05/01/2003561117|accessdate=26 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=1 May 2013}}</ref>
Commenting on Taiwan's declining ranking as measured by the International Institute for Management Development in the Global Competitiveness Report released at the end of May 2013, Kuan said that it is not that Taiwan did not improve, but that other nations improved at a faster rate than Taiwan. He added that the business regulations have been relaxed in Taiwan but not as much as what have been done in other countries.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kao|first1=Camaron|title=Taiwan's global competitiveness ranking declines by four notches|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2013/05/30/2003563518|accessdate=26 March 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=30 May 2013}}</ref>
He resigned his post as National Development Council head in January 2015. Kuan had attempted to resign in a month prior but was persuaded to stay at the time.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tang|first1=Pei-chun|last2=Low|first2=Y.F.|title=Taiwan retains most Cabinet members in reshuffle|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/search/201412050023.aspx?q=Taiwan%20retains%20most%20Cabinet%20members%20in%20reshuffle|accessdate=26 March 2016|agency=Central News Agency|date=5 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Katherine|first1=Wei|title=NDC chief resigns, to be replaced by Duh|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2015/01/30/427773/NDC-chief.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704144535/http://chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2015/01/30/427773/NDC-chief.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 4, 2015|accessdate=26 March 2016|work=China Post|date=30 January 2015}}</ref>
==National Taiwan University presidency== On 5 January 2018, Kuan was elected to succeed Yang Pan-chyr as president of National Taiwan University.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Phoenix Hsu|author2=Ko Lin|title=Former development minister elected as head of Taiwan's top school|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/news/aedu/201801050026.aspx|accessdate=26 January 2018|agency=Central News Agency|date=5 January 2018}}</ref> Shortly after his election, Kuan stated that he would work to help NTU establish international partnerships with other institutions and attract more international students by offering more dual-degree programs.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hsu|first1=Phoenix|last2=Yen|first2=Wiliam|title=NTU planning set up international campus|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/news/aedu/201801070014.aspx|accessdate=26 January 2018|agency=Central News Agency|date=7 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Hsu Chen|first1=Chi-chung|last2=Liu|first2=Kuan-lin|title=NTU president-elect discusses plans to internationalize the university|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201801170009.aspx|accessdate=26 January 2018|agency=Central News Agency|date=17 January 2018}}</ref> Before taking office, Kuan was accused of an unresolved conflict of interest regarding Richard Tsai.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ministry orders NTU to clarify election scandal|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/01/25/2003686406|accessdate=26 January 2018|work=Taipei Times|date=25 January 2018}}</ref> Tsai was a member of the NTU presidential search committee, but neither he or Kuan had publicly declared that they both served on the board of Taiwan Mobile.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Maxon|first1=Ann|title=NTU denies any scandal in Kuan's appointment|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/01/12/2003685640|accessdate=26 January 2018|work=Taipei Times|date=12 January 2018}}</ref> Additionally, Chang Liao Wan-chien accused Kuan of plagiarism in a paper presented in May 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Maxon|first1=Ann|title=NTU president-elect accused of fraud|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2018/01/26/2003686443|accessdate=26 January 2018|work=Taipei Times|date=26 January 2018}}</ref> Upon further investigation, NTU cleared Kuan of plagiarism.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hsu|first1=Phoenix|last2=Yen|first2=William|title=NTU clears Kuan, asks Education Ministry to certify him|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201801260027.aspx|accessdate=26 January 2018|agency=Central News Agency|date=26 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Maxon|first1=Ann|title=NTU rejects allegations that its future president plagiarized student's thesis|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2018/01/28/2003686558|accessdate=28 January 2018|work=Taipei Times|date=28 January 2018}}</ref> Subsequently, the government looked into possible violations of the Classified National Security Information Protection Act.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wu|first1=Po-hsuan|last2=Hsiao|first2=Sherry|title=NTU president-elect gives ultimatum|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2018/03/23/2003689849|accessdate=23 March 2018|work=Taipei Times|date=23 March 2018}}</ref> In March 2018, a group of NTU academics and alumni filed a complaint with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office against Kuan's appointment as university president.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pan|first1=Jason|title=Kuan faces an official complaint|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/03/24/2003689931|accessdate=24 March 2018|work=Taipei Times|date=24 March 2018}}</ref> The controversy resulted in the resignation of education minister Pan Wen-chung in April.<ref>{{cite news|title=Physicist named new education minister|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2018/04/17/2003691478|accessdate=17 April 2018|work=Taipei Times|date=17 April 2018}}</ref> Soon after Wu Maw-kuen took office, the education ministry chose not to approve Kuan's selection.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chen|first1=Chih-chung|last2=Liu|first2=Kuan-lin|title=MOE rejects NTU's presidential appointment, calls for do-over|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/news/aedu/201804270024.aspx|accessdate=28 April 2018|agency=Central News Agency|date=27 April 2018}}</ref> Wu's successor Yeh Jiunn-rong announced on 24 December 2018 that Kuan's appointment had been approved.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maxon |first1=Ann |title=Ministry approves Kuan's appointment |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2018/12/25/2003706744 |accessdate=26 December 2018 |work=Taipei Times |date=25 December 2018}}</ref> Yeh resigned from his post the next day.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hsieh |first1=Chia-chen |last2=Ku |first2=Chuan |last3=Chen |first3=Chun-hua |last4=Hsu |first4=Elizabeth |title=Education minister tenders resignation over NTU president case |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201812250012.aspx |accessdate=26 December 2018 |agency=Central News |date=25 December 2018}}</ref> Kuan was inaugurated as president of National Taiwan University on 8 January 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maxon |first1=Ann |title=Kuan takes office as NTU president amid concerns |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2019/01/09/2003707615 |accessdate=9 January 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=9 January 2019}}</ref>
==Impeachment== The Control Yuan started an investigation into Kuan's work with ''Next Magazine'' in April 2018. The probe found that Kuan wrote for the publication from 2010 to 2016, which overlapped with his tenure as a government minister between February 2012 and February 2015. Kuan's writings for ''Next Magazine'' while serving on the Executive Yuan constituted a violation of Article 14 of the Civil Servant Work Act,<ref>{{cite web |title=公務員服務法 |url=https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?PCode=S0020038 |website=Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China |access-date=16 February 2021}}</ref> which barred civil servants from taking on outside work. The inquiry was led by Control Yuan members {{ill|Wang Yu-ling|zh|王幼玲}} and {{ill|Tsai Chung-yi|zh|蔡崇義}}. Upon its conclusion in January 2019, the Control Yuan voted 7–4 to impeach Kuan.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Strong |first1=Matthew |title=Control Yuan impeaches National Taiwan University president |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3617475 |work=Taiwan News |date=15 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Yu |first1=Hsiang |last2=Ku |first2=Chuan |last3=Chen |first3=Chih-chung |last4=Wang |first4=Yang-yu |last5=Fan |first5=Cheng-hsiang |last6=Chen |first6=Chun-hua |last7=Hsu |first7=Elizabeth |title=Control Yuan passes motion to impeach new NTU president |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201901150020.aspx |accessdate=15 January 2019 |agency=Central News Agency |date=15 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hsiao |first1=Sherry |title=Control Yuan votes to impeach Kuan |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2019/01/16/2003708007 |accessdate=16 January 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=16 January 2019}}</ref> The Judicial Yuan's Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission then issued Kuan a reprimand in September 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=NTU head given official reprimand for taking side jobs |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201909020013.aspx |accessdate=2 September 2019 |agency=Central News Agency |date=2 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Maxon |first1=Ann |title=Commission reprimands NTU's Kuan |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2019/09/03/2003721618 |accessdate=3 September 2019 |work=Taipei Times |agency=Taipei Times |date=3 September 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuan, Chung-ming}} Category:Academic staff of the National Taiwan University Category:Living people Category:Government ministers of Taiwan Category:1956 births Category:University of California, Davis alumni Category:Members of Academia Sinica Category:Presidents of National Taiwan University