Strong Chuang – Paper Engineer, Scientist, and 1st Generation Independence Activist

Cincinnati, OH

I am the first generation to have immigrated from Taiwan in 1965. I am proud to be of Taiwanese heritage…

chuang.strong1Who are you?

I was born on January 1st, 1939 in Taiwan as a Japanese Citizen. After Japan was defeated in World War II, the Taiwanese were all brainwashed by the new occupier from China as Chinese Citizens. I awakened from such brain washing after coming to the US in 1965. Ever since then, I have involved myself in the struggle for Taiwanese Independence. I co-founded (with comrades) the United Formosans in America for Independence (UFAI) in 1965, which renamed itself as World United Formosans for Independence (WUFI) in 1970. I have served as Central Committee member, Vice Chairman and Chairman of WUFI in the past 45 years striving for the establishment of a free, democratic and independent Taiwan nation.

What do you do?

I obtained my engineering MS degree from Kansas State University in 1967 and Ph.D. degree from Purdue University in 1970. I then worked for Procter and Gamble in Cincinnati for 19 years as a paper making engineer / scientist. I then changed companies, working for Scott Paper and Kimberly-Clark Company until retirement in 2002. I have around 20 inventions all related to paper making technology.

Why are you proud to be of Taiwanese heritage?

I am the first generation to have immigrated from Taiwan in 1965. I am proud to be of Taiwanese heritage and in the peoples’ desire to be free, democratic and independent citizens in the global village. But I am not that proud that still so many Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans are not working hard enough to strive for achieving such objectives.

What does the future of Taiwanese America look like to you?

I have a dream that one day that Taiwanese Americans will not be confused themselves as parts of Chinese American. For example, I encouraged my children to change the spelling of their last names from the Chinese phonetic spelling (Chuang) to the Taiwanese phonetic spelling (Chng), so that future generations of their offspring will not have their ancestry confused with those from China.

Any additional information you would like to share?

Read my editorial for the Taipei Times from Sunday, Mar 29, 2009: “Saving Taiwan, One Letter at a Time

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2009/03/29/2003439679

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