Professor Sun Chen was born in November 1934, with an ancestry in Pingdu City, Shandong Province in China mainland. As a prominent economist, educator, and politician, he has been a pivotal figure in pushing forward Taiwan’s economy and promoting business ethics in Taiwan.

Professor Sun received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Oklahoma in 1970. He served as a Professor of Economics in National Taiwan University and Vice-Chairman of the Council for Economic Planning of the Executive Yuan from 1973 to 1977, Vice-Chairmen of the Council for Economic Development of the Executive Yuan from 1977 to 1984, President of National Taiwan University from 1984 to 1993, Defence Minister of ROC from 1993 to 1994, and Minister without Portfolio of ROC from 1994 to 1996.

The 1970s and 1980s marked the golden age of the industrial upgrading and transformation as well as the economic take-off in Taiwan. Professor Sun was one of the masterminds for the economic policy-making at that time. He advocated many important liberal ideas and policies, such as Globalization, Institutionalization, and Privatization.

Along with the rapid growth of economy, Professor Sun realized the deep relevance of social and cultural elements in a sustainable development, and thereby proposed the idea of a society that is “rich and yet fond of ritual propriety” and an “Ethics of Communal Self”. He has promoted business ethics in Taiwan for many years and founded the Chinese Business Ethics Education Association, which has made great contributions to improve the educational level of business ethics in Taiwan.