The Minister of National Defense () is the minister responsible for the Ministry of National Defense. Most ministers were either active or retired military generals, with only four civilians having served as ministers in the post-martial law era.
List of officeholders The following ministers have served:
Portrait Name Term of office Party Cabinet Defense branch Took office Left office Time in office 1 Bai Chongxi (白崇禧) 23 May 1946 2 June 1948 Kuomintang Army 2 He Yingqin (何應欽) 3 June 1948 21 December 1948 Kuomintang Army 3 Xu Yongchang (徐永昌) 22 December 1948 30 April 1949 Kuomintang Army (2) He Yingqin (何應欽) 1 May 1949 11 June 1949 Kuomintang Army 4 Yan Xishan (閻錫山) 12 June 1949 31 January 1950 Kuomintang Army 5 Gu Zhutong (顧祝同) 1 February 1950 31 March 1950 Kuomintang Army 6 (俞大維) 1 April 1950 28 February 1951 Independent Army 7 (郭寄嶠) 1 March 1951 31 May 1954 Kuomintang Army (6) (俞大維) 1 June 1954 13 January 1965 Independent Army 9 Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) 14 January 1965 30 June 1969 Kuomintang Army 10 Huang Chieh (黃杰) 1 July 1969 31 May 1972 Kuomintang Army 11 Chen Ta-ching (陳大慶) 1 June 1972 30 June 1973 Kuomintang Army 12 Kao Kuei-yuan (高魁元) 1 July 1973 19 November 1981 Kuomintang Army 13 (宋長志) 1 December 1981 30 June 1986 Kuomintang Navy 14 (汪道淵) 1 July 1986 28 April 1987 Kuomintang Civilian 15 Cheng Wei-yuan (鄭為元) 29 April 1987 4 December 1989 Kuomintang Army 16 Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村) 5 December 1989 31 May 1991 Kuomintang Army 17 Chen Li-an (陳履安) 1 June 1991 26 February 1993 Kuomintang Civilian 18 (孫震) 27 February 1993 15 December 1994 Kuomintang Civilian 19 Chiang Chung-ling (蔣仲苓) 16 December 1994 31 January 1999 Kuomintang Army 20 Tang Fei (唐飛) 1 February 1999 19 May 2000 Kuomintang Air force 21 Wu Shih-wen (伍世文) 20 May 2000 31 January 2002 Kuomintang Navy 22 Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) 1 February 2002 19 May 2004 Kuomintang Army 23 Lee Jye (李傑) 20 May 2004 19 May 2007 Independent Su I Navy 24 Lee Tien-yu (李天羽) 20 May 2007 24 February 2008 Kuomintang Su I Air force 25 Michael Tsai (蔡明憲) 25 February 2008 19 May 2008 Democratic Progressive Party Civilian 26 Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) 20 May 2008 9 September 2009 Kuomintang Air force 27 Kao Hua-chu (高華柱) 10 September 2009 31 July 2013 Kuomintang Army 28 Andrew Yang (楊念祖) 1 August 2013 7 August 2013 Kuomintang Civilian 29 Yen Ming (嚴明) 8 August 2013 30 January 2015 Kuomintang Air force 30 Kao Kuang-chi (高廣圻) 31 January 2015 19 May 2016 Kuomintang S. Chang Navy 31 Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) 20 May 2016 26 February 2018 Independent LinLai Air force 32 Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發) 26 February 2018 23 February 2021 Independent LaiSu II Army 33 Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) 23 February 2021 20 May 2024 Independent Su IIChen Chien-jen Army 34 Wellington Koo (顧立雄) 20 May 2024 Incumbent Democratic Progressive Party Cho Civilian
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