TheywereworriedaboutanuclearisationoftheTaiwanStraitandbenton stoppingTaiwan ' snuclearambitioninitstracksandpreventingaregional armsrace .
SotheysecretlyenlistedMrChangtohaltTaiwan ' sprogramme . WhenMrChangwasrecruitedbytheCIAintheearly1980s , hewasthe deputydirectoratTaiwan ' sInstituteofNuclearEnergyResearch , which wasresponsibleforthenuclearweaponsprogramme . AsoneofTaiwan ' skeynuclearscientists , heenjoyedalifeofprivilege andalucrativesalary .
Buthesayshebeganquestioningwhethertheislandshouldhavenuclear weaponsafterthecatastrophicChernobylaccidentin1986intheformer SovietUnion .
HewasconvincedbytheAmericans ' argumentthatstoppingthe programmewouldbe " goodforpeace , andwasforthebenefitofmainland ChinaandTaiwan ".
" Thisfitintomy mindsetverymuch ," saysMrChang ." But themostimportant reasonwhyIagreedis thattheywenttogreat efortstoassureme theywouldensuremy safety ."
Thenexttaskwas getinghim andhis familyout .
Defection
Atthattime , militaryoficialscouldnotleaveTaiwanwithoutpermission . So , MrChangfirstensuredhiswifeandthreeyoungchildren ' ssafetyby sendingthem toJapanforaholiday .
Hiswife , Bety , saysshehadnoclueaboutherhusband ' sdoublelife . Theyhadonlytalkedaboutthepossibilityofhim acceptingajobinthe US .
" Hetoldmethiswasatrialtotesthow easyIcouldgetoutfrom Taiwan andtoseehow muchluggageIcouldpack ," shesays . MrsChanglefton 8January1988withtheirchildren , excitedtovisitTokyoDisneyland .
Theverynextday , MrChangtookaflighttotheUS usingafakepassport providedbytheCIA . Alhehadwithhim wassomecashandafew personalpossessions .