The Minister of National Defense (Chinese: 中華民國國防部部長; pinyin: Zhōnghuá mínguó guófáng bù bùzhǎng) 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.

Ministers of National Defense

The following ministers have served:

No.PortraitName (born–died)Term of officeDefense branch before appointmentPartyCabinet
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1Bai Chongxi (白崇禧) (1893–1966)23 May 19462 June 19482 years, 10 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangSoong[zh] Zhang[zh] Weng[zh]
2He Yingqin (何應欽) (1890–1987)3 June 194821 December 1948201 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangWeng[zh] Sun II[zh]
3Xu Yongchang (徐永昌) (1885–1959)22 December 194830 April 1949129 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangSun II[zh] He[zh]
(2)He Yingqin (何應欽) (1890–1987)1 May 194911 June 194941 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangHe[zh] Yan[zh]
4Yan Xishan (閻錫山) (1883–1960)12 June 194931 January 1950233 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangYan[zh]
5Gu Zhutong (顧祝同) (1893–1987)1 February 195031 March 195058 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangYan[zh] C. Chen I[zh]
6Yu Ta-wei[zh] (俞大維) (1897–1993)1 April 195028 February 1951333 daysRepublic of China ArmyIndependentC. Chen I[zh]
7Kuo Chi-chiao[zh] (郭寄嶠) (1902–1998)1 March 195131 May 19543 years, 91 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangC. Chen I[zh]
(6)Yu Ta-wei[zh] (俞大維) (1897–1993)1 June 195413 January 196510 years, 226 daysRepublic of China ArmyIndependentC. Chen I[zh] H. C. Yu[zh] C. Chen II[zh] Yen[zh]
9Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) (1910–1988)14 January 196530 June 19694 years, 167 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangYen[zh]
10Huang Chieh (黃杰) (1902–1995)1 July 196931 May 19722 years, 335 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangYen[zh] Chiang[zh]
11Chen Ta-ching (陳大慶) (1904–1973)1 June 197230 June 19731 year, 29 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangChiang[zh]
12Kao Kuei-yuan (高魁元) (1907–2012)1 July 197319 November 19818 years, 141 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangChiang[zh] Sun Y.[zh]
13Song Chang-chih[zh] (宋長志) (1916–2002)1 December 198130 June 19864 years, 211 daysRepublic of China NavyKuomintangSun Y.[zh] Yu[zh]
14Wang Daoyuan[zh] (汪道淵) (1913–2011)1 July 198628 April 1987301 daysCivilianKuomintangYu[zh]
15Cheng Wei-yuan (鄭為元) (1913–1993)29 April 19874 December 19892 years, 219 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangYu[zh] Lee[zh]
16Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村) (1919–2020)5 December 198931 May 19911 year, 177 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangLee[zh]
17Chen Li-an (陳履安) (born 1937)1 June 199126 February 19931 year, 270 daysCivilianKuomintangHau[zh]
18Sun Chen[zh] (孫震) (born 1934)27 February 199315 December 19941 year, 291 daysCivilianKuomintangLien[zh]
19Chiang Chung-ling (蔣仲苓) (1922–2015)16 December 199431 January 19994 years, 46 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangLien[zh] Siew[zh]
20Tang Fei (唐飛) (born 1932)1 February 199919 May 20001 year, 108 daysRepublic of China Air ForceKuomintangSiew[zh]
21Wu Shih-wen (伍世文) (born 1934)20 May 200031 January 20021 year, 256 daysRepublic of China NavyKuomintangT. Fei[zh] C. H. Chang I[zh]
22Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) (1938–2021)1 February 200219 May 20042 years, 108 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangYu[zh]
23Lee Jye (李傑) (born 1940)20 May 200419 May 20072 years, 108 daysRepublic of China NavyIndependentYu[zh] Hsieh[zh] Su I
24Lee Tien-yu (李天羽) (1946–2024)20 May 200724 February 2008280 daysRepublic of China Air ForceKuomintangSu I C. H. Chang II[zh]
25Michael Tsai (蔡明憲) (born 1941)25 February 200819 May 200884 daysCivilianDemocratic Progressive PartyC. H. Chang II[zh]
26Chen Chao-min (陳肇敏) (born 1940)20 May 20089 September 20091 year, 112 daysRepublic of China Air ForceKuomintangLiu[zh]
27Kao Hua-chu (高華柱) (born 1946)10 September 200931 July 20133 years, 324 daysRepublic of China ArmyKuomintangWu[zh] S. Chen[zh] Jiang[zh]
28Andrew Yang (楊念祖) (born 1946)1 August 20137 August 20136 daysCivilianKuomintangJiang[zh]
29Yen Ming (嚴明) (born 1949)8 August 201330 January 20151 year, 175 daysRepublic of China Air ForceKuomintangJiang[zh] Mao[zh]
30Kao Kuang-chi (高廣圻) (born 1950)31 January 201519 May 20161 year, 109 daysRepublic of China NavyKuomintangMao[zh] S. Chang
31Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) (born 1945)20 May 201626 February 20181 year, 282 daysRepublic of China Air ForceIndependentLin Lai
32Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發) (born 1952)26 February 201823 February 20212 years, 363 daysRepublic of China ArmyIndependentLai Su II
33Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) (born 1953)23 February 202120 May 20243 years, 87 daysRepublic of China ArmyIndependentSu II Chen Chien-jen
34Wellington Koo (顧立雄) (born 1958)20 May 2024Incumbent1 year, 332 daysCivilianDemocratic Progressive PartyCho

Notes