A report appeared in New Zealand's TIMES Online on November 4, 2021: “72-year old runner runs 80-kilometres to call for an end to polio”. The man in the report was Ronald Chen from Taiwan who holds a doctorate in Business Management from Taiwan's National Chengchi University.
Ronald Chen was born in Taipei in 1950. After attending Chien-kuo High School, he won a place in National Taiwan University's Department of Business Administration, before gaining a Master's and PhD from the Institute of Business Management of National Cheng-chi University. As well as teaching at National Chengchi University he also taught in the Management College of National Defense University; he later worked in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Legislative Yuan and as the Managing Director of a securities company. He has rich experience in the areas of industry, economic affairs and academia. In 1993, at the height of his career, Chen moved with his family New Zealand where be set up an investment company in Auckland. Later, he was also a presenter and guest speaker on finance and economics related programs on local Mandarin radio and TV stations.
Chen began actively taking part in the activities of Auckland's overseas community groups in 1996 and took up the post of vice president of the Taiwanese Hwa Hsia Society of New Zealand in 1997. Then, with a few other senior figures in the overseas community, he brought about the founding of the Taiwanese Business Association of New Zealand, and became its president and a director of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in 2000; in the same year, he was appointed as an OCAC Adviser. His wife and mother were also founding members of the Taiwanese Women's Association of New Zealand. All the family do their best to serve the overseas community in New Zealand.
As well as taking part in Taiwanese overseas community activities, as a Taiwanese, Chen has taken part in Auckland's mainly white parliamentary election campaigns as convener of the Asian Group. All politicians in New Zealand seek to win the valuable support of Taiwanese overseas compatriots. Chen's assistance allowed Judith Collins, current National Party leader, who was a practicing lawyer at the time, win against the odds in what was a constituency with strong Labor Party support. The deep feelings that were nurtured between them led to Judith Collins calling him her God Father.
During his time as president of Auckland Harbourside Rotary Club, to increase the visibility of Taiwanese overseas compatriots in mainstream society in New Zealand, he guided the establishment of the Rotary Club of Auckland South (Inc) mainly for Taiwanese. Chen is also one of the few Taiwanese to be appointed a Justice of Peace in New Zealand.
The year after Taiwan and New Zealand signed the FTA, Chen led a group of New Zealand entrepreneurs to Taiwan for an in-depth visit which was reported in full by New Zealand's biggest newspaper, the NZ Herald, imperceptibly increasing the understanding and friendship between the people of Taiwan and New Zealand.
Chen said “Overseas compatriot groups and the overseas community give Taiwanese living overseas a sense of home”. When Taiwanese are united, their power and voice will not be ignored by local mainstream society, therefore, he strongly encourages all overseas compatriots to take part in the overseas community, especially second and third generation overseas compatriots who were born in their place of residence. He believes young people should leave their comfort zone and take part in overseas community activities to build up a personal relations network, at the same time, also achieving the objective of helping Taiwan speak out to mainstream society by assisting overseas compatriot groups.
In 2013, during time in Taiwan, he was introduced to running by a fellow National Taiwan University alumni at the age of 64. To begin with, he couldn't even run one kilometer without stopping but progressed to five and then ten kilometers. He then challenged a half marathon and then a full marathon. He even completed New Zealand's Hundred Miles Challenge this year, running 168 kilometers and setting an unbelievable record.
Dr. Chen is still active in running circles in New Zealand aged 72. With Forrest Gump spirit, his use of long-distance running to help others and other good deeds have been reported in many media outlets. Every time he runs, he wears the ROC flag, leaving a deep and positive impression of Taiwan in the minds of New Zealanders of all circles.
