title: Tang Yao-ming
text: # Tang Yao-ming
  
  Tang Yao-ming (traditional Chinese: 湯曜明; simplified Chinese: 汤曜明; pinyin: Tāng Yàomíng; 29 November 1940 – 3 November 2021) was a 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 have held the post.
  
  ### 2002 United States visit
  
  In 2002, Tang visited St. Petersburg, Florida, United States to attend the U.S.-Taiwan Defense summit, making him the first ROC Minister of National Defense to visit the United States after the U.S. government ended official relations with Taiwan in 1979.
  
  ## Death
  
  Tang died, aged 80, on 3 November 2021, at the Tri-Service General Hospital.
  
  