After Official Retirement, Kuan Chung-ming Says Goodbye to His Beloved Car After Over a Decade: 'If You See Me on the Road, Feel Free to Give Me a Ride'

Former National Taiwan University (NTU) president Kuan Chung-ming recently announced his official retirement, reflecting on the completion of his retirement procedures. Prior to the effective date of retirement, he canceled his faculty ID card, adding the words "retiree" next to his photo, and personally visited the district office to transfer his health insurance, joking that he is now "without an employer." On the 10th, Kuan shared on his Facebook page that he had disposed of his BMW, a car that had accompanied him for over 13 years. Although he had rarely driven it in recent years, he expressed a sense of sadness upon parting with it, and humorously mentioned that he might return his driver's license as well, adding, "If you see me on the roadside in the future, feel free to give me a ride." In the photo, Kuan is seen wearing sunglasses and a black outfit, leaning against his beloved BMW for a farewell snapshot. He also joked about obtaining a new ID card—no longer as a professor, but as an "emeritus professor"—and invited the public to offer him a lift if they spot him on the street. Kuan previously posted a photo of himself bowing deeply in front of NTU's Coconut Grove Avenue, symbolizing his formal farewell to his long academic career. After stepping down as NTU president in 2023, he returned to the Department of Finance to continue teaching and research. He concluded his long-running course on计量理论 (Quantitative Theory) at the end of last year, marking the end of his 37-year teaching career. The announcement of his retirement has sparked online discussions. Many netizens commented, "No car, no burden—I gave mine away two years ago," "Do you really have to return your license that early? What a pity," "I'd love to be Professor Kuan's driver once," "Does it have to be a luxury German car?" and "Hope I get the chance to give the president a ride." Others praised him, saying, "The photo with the professor and his car is so cool" and "Congratulations, Professor Kuan, on your retirement." According to Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation, drivers aged 70 or older must either renew their license or voluntarily return it upon notification from the authorities, effective May 31 this year, due to concerns about age-related declines in reaction time, attention, and recognition ability. Kuan will turn 70 after his birthday this year and will be subject to this regulation. Kuan has previously spoken out on social issues, including criticizing the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission for enabling the exploitation of overseas students as laborers, calling it a "shame of Taiwan" and "a criminal act of luring students to Taiwan." He also raised concerns about Hsinchu's development, stating, "What remains of Hsinchu without the science park?" and emphasizing that the internationalization of Hsinchu Science Park does not equate to the internationalization of Hsinchu City. Additionally, he strongly criticized Hsu Kuo-yung for denying Taiwan's Retrocession Day, calling him a "colonial apologist" and "a traitor to the nation lacking national identity."