Henry Hsu

Henry Hsu OBE (Chinese: 徐亨; pinyin: Xú Hēng; 6 December 1912 – 3 February 2009) was a Taiwanese athlete and politician.

Henry Hsu

OBE MLY
徐亨
President of the Republic of China Olympic Committee
In office
17 July 1973 – May 1974
Preceded byYang Sen
Succeeded byShen Chia-ming
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
1 February 1973 – 31 January 1987
ConstituencyDistrict 2 (Hong Kong and Macau)
Personal details
Born(1912-12-06)6 December 1912
Hua County, Guangdong, Republic of China
Died3 February 2009(2009-02-03) (aged 96)
Beitou, Taipei, Taiwan
NationalityTaiwanese
Political partyKuomintang
Alma materWhampoa Military Academy
Military service
Allegiance Republic of China
Branch/service Republic of China Navy
Rank Rear admiral
Battles/warsBattle of Hong Kong

Hsu was born in Hua County and had planned to follow his parents into the medical field, until his mother's death in a hotel fire when Hsu was eighteen.[1] Upon graduation from Whampoa Military Academy, Hsu pursued legal studies in Shanghai.[2] He represented the Republic of China at the 1930 and 1934 Far Eastern Championship Games, as a volleyball player and footballer, respectively.[3][4] Hsu also competed as a swimmer and water polo player.[4] During World War II, Hsu served in the Republic of China Navy. At the time of the Battle of Hong Kong, he was a Lieutenant-Commander and aide-de-camp to Admiral Chan Chak.[5] Hsu played a key role in saving Admiral Chan's life during a dramatic breakout in five small torpedo boats on Christmas Day 1941, which saved a total of sixty eight British, Chinese and Danish intelligence, naval and marine personnel from the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong; for this feat he was made an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1942.[2][5] Hsu retired from duty with the rank of Rear Admiral.[6] He then owned hotels in Hong Kong, soon expanding operations to Taiwan when he moved there in 1982, and later to the United States in 1992.[2][7][8]

He was a member of the International Olympic Committee from 1970 to 1988, and led the Republic of China Olympic Committee from 1973 to 1974.[3] Hsu was first appointed to the Legislative Yuan in 1972 and served until 1987.[4][6] Upon stepping down from the legislature, he was named a national policy adviser to President Chiang Ching-kuo, and also served Chiang's successor Lee Teng-hui until 2000.[4] Alongside his position as an adviser, Hsu served a nearly concurrent term as president of the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China from 1988 to 2000.[6]

He died of heart failure at the age of 96 in 2009, while being treated for uremia and pneumonia at Taipei Veterans General Hospital.[3][6] His funeral was held on 16 March, with Ma Ying-jeou, Liu Chao-shiuan, Wang Jin-pyng, Wu Ching-kuo, and Chi Cheng in attendance.[9]

References
  1. Matthews, Joe (6 July 2006). "Hotel's owners dig in for labor fight". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 24 March 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2017. Alt URL
  2. Luard, Tim (20 May 2009). "Henry Hsu". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  3. "Local veteran dies aged 96". Taipei Times. 5 February 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  4. "Death of Henry Heng Hsu, IOC Honorary Member since 1988". International Olympic Committee. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  5. Lai, Benjamin (2014). Hong Kong 1941–45: First strike in the Pacific War. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781782002703.
  6. "Ex-lawmaker, sports leader Henry Hsu dies at 96". China Post. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  7. Luard, Tim (2012). Escape from Hong Kong: Admiral Chan Chak’s Christmas Day Dash, 1941. Hong Kong University Press. p. 256. ISBN 9789888083763.
  8. "Taiwanese group buys L.A. Airport Hilton". United Press International. 4 May 1992. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  9. "IOC veteran laid to rest". Taipei Times. 17 March 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
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