Wang Yung-ching’s remains return

The remains of Taiwan’s “god of management” were carried aboard EVA Airways flight BR-031, which arrived at Taoyuan International Airport from Newark, New Jersey, at 6:30 a.m.

Winston Wong, the eldest son of the late founder of the Formosa Plastics group, was on hand to meet his father in the casket.

Wong, chairman of the Grace T.H.W. group, held a traditional rice container with a burning votive incense stick inserted as the heir to Taiwan’s King Midas.

His daughter Susan Wang, deputy chief executive officer of the Formosa Plastics group, was by her half-brother’s side, carrying a framed portrait of their father, who died in sleep at Livingston, New Jersey, on Wednesday

The rags-to-riches business tycoon was 91. He is survived by his second and third wives and nine children.

Lee Pao-chu, the third wife, escorted the casket of her husband back from New Jersey. W. H. Wang, Yung-ching’s second son, was with his step mother.

Wang Yung-tsai, Yung’s surviving younger brother, met the widow and his nephew as they stepped down from the EVA jetliner.

The casket was then transferred to the stadium at Chang-gung University in nearby Linkou, where Wang Yung-ching would lie “in state” starting this morning.

But relatives and top aides of the deceased visited the university stadium to pay their respects immediately after 8 a.m. after the casket had been placed behind a temporary altar.

Among them were Chang Chao-hsiung, vice chairman of the People’s First Party, and Mrs. Chang. James Soong drafted Chang as his running mate in the presidential election of 2000. Chang was then superintendent of the Chang-gung Memorial Hospital.

There are six Chang-gung Memorial Hospitals, the last one having opened in Xiamen, or Amoy in January this year. Wang Yung-ching founded the hospitals in memory of his father Wang Chang-gung.

Wang Jin-pyng, president of the Legislative Yuan, paid his last respects to Wang Yung-ching at the university stadium at noon.

He was followed by President Ma Ying-jeou and Vice President Vincent Siew.

Other visitors included former President Lee Teng-hui, Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, and ex-premier Yu Shyi-kun.

After the stadium is opened to the general public at 8:00 a.m. today, friends and admirers may pay their homage to Wang Yung-ching at any time of day.

No decision has been taken as to how long the stadium will remain open. It is most likely that the public may continue to visit until the day of his funeral.

President Ma is likely to award special posthumous honors to one of the world’s richest men, according to sources close to the Office of the President. Forbes ranked Wang Yung-ching as the 178th wealthiest man in the world with a fortune of US$5.5 billion.

On the Legislative Yuan floor, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan led his Cabinet in offering a one-minute silent prayer shortly before noon to the late founder of one of Taiwan’s largest multinational conglomerates, who made hard work and thrift his motto for success.

No dates have been fixed for funeral services, however.

Nor has it been decided whether the remains would be interred or cremated. But it is almost certain that Wang Yung-ching’s final resting place will be in Linkou, where a five-hectare plot on a small hill may be made a tomb site.

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