Taiwan Mourns: Remembering General Xu Li-Nong, a Life of Service and Advocacy

A Look Back at the Life and Legacy of the Former Veterans Affairs Council Chairman

Taiwan is reflecting on the life of General Xu Li-Nong, a retired Lieutenant General and former Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Council (VAC), who passed away peacefully in his sleep at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital this morning at the age of 107. The VAC and the Ministry of National Defense will be assisting the family with funeral arrangements.

Born in 1919, Xu Li-Nong was a graduate of the Central Military Academy (Army Officer School) 16th class. He served in the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese Civil War, and the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. He became the Director of the General Political Warfare Department in 1983. After retiring, he became the Chairman of the VAC in 1987. During his tenure, he was known for his dedication to improving the welfare of veterans, earning him the affectionate nickname "Old Man Xu".

In 1993, Xu Li-Nong withdrew from the Kuomintang (KMT) due to disagreements with Lee Teng-hui's stance on cross-strait relations and joined the New Party. In his later years, he advocated for peaceful reunification with the mainland, proposing that the unified nation should be called "China". In recent years, Hsieh You-yi, the New Taipei City Mayor, often visited Xu Li-Nong on his birthday to offer his congratulations. Images include a photo of the two taken two years ago. Photo credit to Hsieh You-yi's Facebook. Xu Li-Nong during his time as Chairman of the VAC, visiting the Tainan Veterans Home to greet Wei Hai-shan, a centenarian veteran, during the Lunar New Year. Photo credit to United Daily News.