Chan Family Relocation to Taiwan (1968)

Overview

In 1968, Jesse and Betty Chan relocated their family of six from Manila, Philippines to Taipei, Taiwan, marking the beginning of a 22-year chapter that would transform the family from factory employees to business owners and set all four children on paths to US universities.

The Decision

Catalyst: Board Split at Eastern Textile (1967)

• Eastern Textile Factory board of directors split into two factions in 1967
• Jesse’s faction decided to sell shares at par value plus 20%
• This prompted the decision to leave Manila

Friend’s Invitation

From Betty’s account:

“A friend told us about Taiwan, and then he enticed us to go join him in doing business in Taiwan.”

• Friend invited Jesse to join him in business in Taiwan
• Opportunity for entrepreneurship rather than employee role
• Taiwan was growing as business hub in late 1960s

Family Considerations

Moving with four young children (or three, with Michelle about to be born):

• Rose: 8 years old
• Meg: 5 years old
• Louis: 3 years old
• Michelle: infant or born shortly after arrival in Taiwan (1968)

The Move

From Manila to Taipei

• Left Santa Mesa compound/Eastern Textile housing
• Relocated to Taipei, Taiwan
• Distance: approximately 1,200 miles
• Different language (Mandarin vs. Tagalog/English)
• Different political system (Republic of China vs. Republic of Philippines)

What They Brought

• Family of 6 (or 5 initially)
• Jesse’s business experience
• Betty’s education background
• Connections through friend who invited them
• Resources from selling Eastern Textile shares

What They Left Behind

• Eastern Textile Factory positions (Jesse: Purchasing Manager, Betty: Payroll Supervisor)
• Extended family in Manila
• Santa Mesa compound community
• Established social networks (“Happy Dreamers” club)
• Betty’s family (parents, siblings)

Life in Taiwan (1968-1990)

Multiple Business Ventures

1. Nightclub/Supper Club (1968-1970s)

• Jesse opened nightclub restaurant combining daytime dining with nighttime entertainment
• Orchestra, MC, singing shows, magic acts
• Open until midnight or 1 AM nightly
• Betty could visit during daytime

2. Real Estate Development (Primary/Longest Business)

• Cherry Hill Development: Three-story buildings, multiple units
• Houses on the Hill: Luxury hillside properties (rented 3 years, then sold)
• Jesse: “Real estate is really simple. You just look at the land and you like it, you just buy it. Then we build a house.”
• Rose loved visiting construction sites with Jesse
• Dog named Sugar guarded construction property
• Most successful and longest-lasting venture

3. Import/Export Business

• Details to be documented

4. Bakery

• Betty managed the bakery
• Recommended by Uncle Henry
• Associated with someone named “Joni”

Education Investment

Taipei American School:

• All four children attended
• **$10,000peryear\ast \ast by1986(now$30,000/year)
• Expensive international education
• Jesse and Betty “worked very hard” to afford it

Results:

• Rose → Stanford (1978) → NYU Law
• Meg → Stanford (1981), Economics
• Louis → University of Houston (1983) → Cranbrook Academy (Architecture Masters)
• Michelle → Whittier College (1986)
• All four received scholarships for US universities

Family Life

• Built house in Taiwan
• Rose remembers construction sites, dog Sugar
• Rose remembers nightclub shows
• Children learned Mandarin, maintained English
• Maintained Filipino-Chinese cultural identity
• Regular contact with Manila family

Duration

22 years in Taiwan:

• 1968-1990
• Arrived with young children
• Left after Michelle graduated Whittier (1990)
• Children’s entire childhoods/adolescence in Taiwan

Significance

From Employee to Entrepreneur

Manila (1957-1968):

• Jesse: Purchasing Manager (employee)
• Betty: Payroll Supervisor (employee)
• Working for Eastern Textile Factory
• Living in compound/company housing

Taiwan (1968-1990):

• Jesse: Business owner (nightclub, real estate, import/export)
• Betty: Business manager (bakery)
• Multiple entrepreneurial ventures
• Owned properties, built developments

Educational Investment Success

The move enabled:

• Access to Taipei American School (elite international education)
• All four children to US universities
• All four children received scholarships
• Professional success for all four children

Chinese Diaspora Pattern

The Chan family exemplifies Chinese diaspora trajectory:

• Jesse: Born Philippines → China (wartime) → Philippines → Taiwan → USA
• Betty: Born Philippines → Taiwan → USA
• Children: Born Philippines/Taiwan → educated Taiwan → universities USA
• Grandchildren: Born in USA

Each generation more integrated into Western/American society while maintaining Chinese cultural roots.

Economic Mobility

• Sold shares at Eastern Textile (capital to start businesses)
• Built multiple successful ventures
• Invested heavily in children’s education
• All four children achieved professional success
• Pattern of upward mobility across generations

Context

Taiwan in 1968-1990

Economic Growth:

• Taiwan experiencing rapid industrialization
• “Taiwan Miracle” economic transformation
• Manufacturing hub for Asia
• Real estate development boom
• Opportunities for entrepreneurs

Political Context:

• Republic of China government (fled mainland 1949)
• Martial law until 1987
• Anti-Communist stance
• Close ties with United States
• Accepting Chinese diaspora from Southeast Asia

Education:

• Taipei American School served expatriate community
• International education for diplomatic/business families
• Expensive but high quality
• Path to US universities

Filipino-Chinese Leaving Philippines

Many Chinese-Filipino families left Philippines in 1960s-1970s:

• Political instability
• Economic uncertainty
• Martial law under Marcos (1972-1981)
• Seeking opportunities elsewhere
• Taiwan, Hong Kong, USA common destinations

Challenges

Cultural Adjustment

• Language: Mandarin (Taiwan) vs. Tagalog/English (Philippines)
• Different Chinese dialect: Mandarin vs. Cantonese (Jesse’s first language)
• Political system: Different government structure
• Social networks: Building new friendships and business relationships

Business Risks

• Starting multiple new ventures in unfamiliar market
• Real estate development requires capital
• Nightclub/entertainment industry risks
• Import/export business complexities

Family Separation

• Left Betty’s family in Manila
• Jesse’s family scattered (Hong Kong, China, Philippines)
• Maintained connections through visits
• Jesse would visit Hong Kong (where mother “Amma” moved in 1959)

Children’s Adjustment

• Rose was 8 (school-age, had to adjust)
• Meg was 5 (pre-school age)
• Louis was 3 (very young)
• Michelle born there (only one who was native Taiwanese)

Success Factors

Jesse’s Skills

• Multilingual (7 languages) - could communicate with different communities
• Entrepreneurial - willing to try multiple business types
• Social - built networks through nightclub, business relationships
• Risk-taking - “over brave” personality served entrepreneurship

Betty’s Contributions

• Mathematics education - handled finances, payroll experience
• Management skills - ran bakery business
• Family stability - maintained household while Jesse worked late nights

Educational Focus

• Both Jesse and Betty prioritized children’s education
• Willing to work hard for expensive school fees
• Jesse had sacrificed his own college education
• Determined to give children opportunities he didn’t have

Timing

• Arrived during Taiwan’s economic growth period
• Real estate market was expanding
• International schools were establishing
• Path to US universities becoming common

Legacy

Three Generations Shaped

Generation 1 (Jesse & Betty):

• Became successful entrepreneurs
• Built financial security
• Invested in next generation

Generation 2 (Rose, Meg, Louis, Michelle):

• All received elite education
• All received US university scholarships
• All achieved professional success
• Rose married Warren Loui (attorney, professor)

Generation 3 (Nicholas, Ryan, Samantha + cousins):

• American-born with Chinese-Filipino heritage
• Benefited from grandparents’ sacrifices
• Professional careers (details to be documented)

Family Values Transmitted

• Education as priority (Jesse’s sacrifice, children’s scholarships)
• Entrepreneurship (Jesse’s multiple ventures)
• Hard work (working until 1 AM, affording expensive schools)
• Family cohesion (maintaining connections across countries)
• Cultural identity (Chinese traditions maintained in Taiwan and USA)

Comparison to Other Relocations

Jesse’s Previous Moves

Jesse was no stranger to displacement:

• Philippines (birth-3) → Hong Kong → Fujian (wartime) → Shanghai → Manila (teen-1968)
• Taiwan move was by choice, not forced by war
• First move as family man with children
• First move as potential business owner

Later Move to Los Angeles (1990)

• Completed the trajectory: Manila → Taiwan → Los Angeles
• All four children already in USA for university
• Jesse and Betty retired/semi-retired
• Rejoined children after they settled in USA

In Their Own Words

Betty on the decision:

“A friend told us about Taiwan, and then he enticed us to go join him in doing business in Taiwan.”

On Taiwan businesses:

• Jesse on real estate: “Real estate is really simple. You just look at the land and you like it, you just buy it. Then we build a house.”
• Jesse on nightclub: “Daytime is restaurant, nighttime you can dance or singing.”

Rose on Taiwan memories:

“I remember going with Daddy to all the houses. I remember Sugar [dog]. That one dog, he stayed in the construction property.”

On education costs:

“Taipei American School: $10,000/year by 1986. We worked very hard to afford children’s expensive education.”

Research Questions

• Exact date of move (early, mid, or late 1968?)
• Name of friend who invited them to Taiwan
• How much capital did they have from Eastern Textile share sale?
• Where exactly did they live in Taipei?
• When did each business open/close?
• How did children adjust to language change?
• Did Betty work outside the bakery?
• Maintained contact with Manila family - how often visited?
• Why Taiwan specifically vs. Hong Kong or other destinations?
• What happened to Jesse’s businesses when they left in 1990?
• Did they own or rent housing in Taiwan?
• What was Betty’s role while Jesse worked late nights at nightclub?

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This relocation transformed the Chan family from factory employees to successful entrepreneurs and enabled the educational trajectory that led all four children to US universities and professional success.