John Chiang, a Taiwanese-American, served as California State Treasurer from 2015 to 2019. Prior to this role, he was California State Controller from 2007 to 2015 and a member of the California Board of Equalization, representing the Fourth District, from 1997 to 2007. During his tenure as State Controller, Chiang audited over $9 billion in wasted or mismanaged funds, saving significant amounts of money for California taxpayers. As State Treasurer, he successfully renegotiated California's bonds, resulting in $3.2 billion in savings directed towards essential public service projects. His commitment to government transparency and accountability was widely recognized, including initiatives to disclose salaries and benefits of public officials online and establish searchable databases for state and local public debt. John Chiang made history as the first and only official in California to hold all three major fiscal offices.

"Finance Minister of Qiangzhou, remarkable achievements."

John Chiang was born in New York and grew up in Chicago, with extensive experience living on both the East and West Coasts of the United States. His parents are from Taiwan. He openly acknowledges experiencing racial discrimination and harassment firsthand from a young age in the early years of America.

 

In 1999, tragedy struck the Chiang family when John's sister, Jennifer Chiang, who was living in Washington D.C. as a lawyer, was murdered on her way home. The case remained unsolved for 12 years, deeply impacting the Chiang family.

 

John Chiang has stated, "My parents came to America with nothing and achieved the American Dream, but growing up in Chicago made me deeply aware that discrimination against Asians still persists widely in America. However, my mother also taught me to be kind to others. So, later on, I hoped to participate in politics and fight for more rights for minority groups and disadvantaged communities."

 

John Chiang graduated from the University of South Florida and the University of Florida College of Law, originally intending to become a lawyer. However, he moved to Los Angeles in 1987 and became involved in California Democratic Party activities. He served as a prosecutor under State Controller Gray Davis and as a staff member for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. Chiang's hard work and outstanding performance gained recognition, leading him to transition into the audit department.

 

He mentioned that at that time, there were very few Asians in the California government, and he was eager to become a representative of minority groups to make substantive changes, providing more job opportunities for Asian businesses and affordable housing and insurance opportunities.

 

Ultimately, John Chiang became the first and only person in California's history to hold all three major fiscal offices: member of the State Board of Equalization, State Controller, and State Treasurer. He accumulated rich experience in politics and finance, making significant contributions to the people of California.

 

 

"Running for governor, encouraging Asian Americans to participate in politics."

 

Although John Chiang was already adept in California's financial department, his character as a determined individual of Chinese descent led him to bravely challenge the position of governor after completing his term as treasurer.

 

On May 17, 2016, John Chiang announced his candidacy for the California governorship in the 2018 elections. Despite ultimately losing, he later expressed support for his opponent Gavin Newsom's gubernatorial campaign and actively supported other Asian Americans in politics.

 

Chiang stated that over 20 years ago, when he first entered public office, there were very few Asian Americans in U.S. politics. He ran for office hoping to give Asian Americans a voice, saying, "We don't want to be second-class citizens." He pointed out that even today, Chinese and Asian Americans often have to defend themselves because many people still see Asians as foreigners, even those who are fourth or fifth generation Americans born and raised in the U.S. The political status of Chinese and Asians is not proportional to their economic status and population. Therefore, he encouraged Chinese and Asian Americans to be proactive in politics, striving to become governors, senators, and representatives. Only when Asians and Chinese appear in more important positions can the overall image of Asians and Chinese change significantly.

 

Chiang also discussed the increased threat to Asian American safety after the COVID-19 pandemic, largely due to erroneous statements about Asians on social media by former President Trump and some Republicans, which inflamed public sentiment. Currently, he hopes that elected Asian American officials and law enforcement officers will speak out against violence, advocate for increased vigilance, strengthen security measures, and intensify efforts to combat crime. He also encouraged Asian Americans to speak out more on social media and media platforms, share their stories, and increase Asian representation.

 

Enter the business world and mentor new talents

After retiring as California State Treasurer, John Chiang has begun venturing into the business world by becoming a shareholder in several different companies. However, he remains actively involved in many Asian American community events, sharing his experiences, encouraging young people to speak up, and actively participate in politics.

He said, "Some surveys show that many young Asian Americans do not prioritize Asian representation, but we must insist on ensuring that American society considers the interests of minority groups, understands the culture, living conditions, and challenges faced by Asians. If you encounter any situations of neglect, suppression, or unfairness, you must speak up instead of remaining silent and enduring it."

【Data Collection: Chinese American Foundation / Text Editing and Compilation: American News Express】