Tang Yao-ming

Tang Yao-ming is a retired Taiwanese general officer. He was the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of China (ROC) from 2002 to 2004.

Ministry of National Defense
Tang was named to the position of defense minister on 20 January 2002, making him the first person born on the island of Taiwan to hold the post.

2002 United States visit
In 2002, Tang visited St. Petersburg, Florida, United States to attend the US-Taiwan Defense summit, making him the first ROC Minister of National Defense to visit the United States after the US government ended official relations in 1979.