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.