DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

Former First Daughter Chen Hsing-yu's Silence Explained by Ex-Anchor

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Former first daughter Chen Hsing-yu recently spoke about her marriage to ex-husband Chao Chien-ming, expressing a desire for a family trip that she now realizes is impossible.
  • Former anchor Chiu Chin-yi commented on Chen's situation, highlighting the pain of prolonged silence and emotional distance in a marriage.
  • Chiu suggested Chen's decision to speak out now, after years of silence, might be motivated by her children's needs, particularly regarding educational funds.

Chen Hsing-yu, daughter of former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian, recently reflected on her marriage to ex-husband Chao Chien-ming, revealing a deep sense of disillusionment. She expressed a past hope that her family of five could travel together once their three children grew up. However, she now laments, "I am waiting for a person who does not exist; this person has already changed," indicating a profound disconnect.

I am waiting for a person who does not exist; this person has already changed.

— Chen Hsing-yuChen Hsing-yu expressed her disillusionment with her marriage to ex-husband Chao Chien-ming.

Former anchor and host Chiu Chin-yi, commenting on Chen's situation, drew parallels to common life challenges. Chiu stated that Chen's story illuminated a shared human struggle: "The most expensive thing in life is time; please save it for the people most worth it." Chiu noted that the focus shifted from the couple's marital status to a shocking figure of "100 million yuan" after Chao Chien-ming presented a divorce agreement upon returning to Taiwan.

The most expensive thing in life is time; please save it for the people most worth it.

— Chiu Chin-yiFormer anchor Chiu Chin-yi reflected on Chen Hsing-yu's marital situation.

Chiu identified prolonged "silence" as the most hurtful aspect of Chen's two-decade-long marriage. Chen described years of minimal interaction, receiving no response to her attempts to communicate, and feeling like a "ghost" in her own home, ignored as if she were a "ghost in July." This wasn't a typical marital spat or cold war, but a sustained period of estrangement and indifference.

Silence.

— Chiu Chin-yiChiu Chin-yi identified prolonged silence as the most hurtful aspect of Chen Hsing-yu's marriage.

While confidentiality clauses in divorce agreements are not unusual, Chiu questioned why Chen, who had remained silent and avoided media attention for so long, chose to speak out now. The answer, Chiu suggested, might be simple: "Because she is a mother." Chen's past silence may have been to shield her young children from adult conflicts and preserve some dignity for the family. Her current decision to speak could still be for her children, particularly in pursuit of the 23 million yuan in educational funds designated for them.

Because she is a mother.

— Chiu Chin-yiChiu Chin-yi suggested a possible reason for Chen Hsing-yu's decision to speak out after years of silence.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog