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date:2010/05/14

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from: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?ID=201005060017&Type=aOPN

By: Maubo Chang

United Daily News: Taiwan's pride　　　　　　　　

 2010/05/06 15:56:41

Chen Shu-chu, a Taitung market vegetable seller, was the only person in sneakers at the Time magazine awards ceremony for the 2010 top 100 influential people in the world.

She proved her uniqueness among the group of celebrated political leaders and artists, showing the world that influence is not monopolized by the elite.

The vegetable seller -- who had left her hometown only twice before and never traveled further than Taipei -- went to New York to receive her award. She has brought honor to all her compatriots. Despite the tiny income of a vegetable seller, Chen cut her personal spending to a minimum and donated money to the needy. The sharp contrast between her austere life and her generous donations underscores her kindness.

But while the mass media is busy reporting about Chen Shu-chu, don't forget another Taiwanese who made Time's list of the 100 most influential people: Acer Chairman and CEO J.T. Wang.

In line with his preference for staying out of limelight, the Acer boss didn't receive his honor in New York. However, this won't dent his brilliant achievement of leading Acer from the fifth-largest PC manufacturer in the world to the second-biggest, trailing only HP.

Predicting that Asian entrepreneurs are set to come to prominence in the next decade, Time said Wang is a sign of the forthcoming trend.

After learning of his nomination as one of the world's most influential people, Wang said of the praise he and his company had received: "We'd rather not to comment. We simply follow the consumer's preference." The executive has honored his country with the glory he earned on international stage.

Chen Shu-chu is a simple good Samaritan who spends little so she can help others. She follows the principle of accumulating good deeds rather than wealth.

Wang represents the brilliance and perseverance of Taiwan's executives that allow the island to survive and thrive amid rapid globalization.

In addition to Chen Shu-chu, there are other Samaritans in Taiwan who are unsung heroes, and in addition to J. T. Wang, there are other executives in Taiwan who do their job excellently. Although they may not draw public attention at home or abroad, their excellence is none the less because of our ignorance.

While lauding the achievements of Chen and Wang, we should pay attention to these unsung heroes around us. (May 6,2010) (By Maubo Chang) enditem/bc