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A Chronology of Chinese-Americans

2000

Fifteen Chinese are found in a cargo container at port of Los angeles.

A law firm headed by Robert E. Porges, is charged with aiding smugglers of Chinese immigrants. The firm earn more than $13 million illigitly over the last seven years. The fruad may change outcome of nearly 7,000 asylum cases.

The Chinese Holocaust Museum opens in September. The Museum is located at 379 15th Street, Oakland, California.

Wen-Ho Lee, a nuclear scientist, is set free on September 13 after 278 days in confinement. He pleads guilty for one count of 59, of illegally downloading secret data. In his judgement, Judge James A. Parker of Federal district Court states that "although, as I indicated, I have no authority to speak on behalf of the executive branch, the president, the vice president, the attorney general, or the secretary of the Department of energy, as a member of the third branch of the United States government, the judiciary, the United States Court, I sincerely apologize to you, Dr. Lee, for the unfair manner you were held in custody by the executive branch" On September 15, President Clinton says that he plans to talk to Attorney-General Janet his concerns that Dr. Lee is not treated properly by prosecutors. The editorial of Chicago Tribune considers the case of Dr. Lee "a national embarrassment."

Business Week names as two top entrepreneurs JoMei Chang, CEO of Vitria Technology, Inc., a software company, and Gino Tsai, president of JD Corp., maker of scooters.

Yung Soong Jin is honored as Hawaii's Chinese Citizen of the Year by the United Chinese Society of Hawaii on December 10

2001

Elaine Lan Chao is appointed Secretary of the Department of Labor.

Ang Lee is awarded the best director for the movie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, at the 58th Golden Globe Awards on January 21. The movie receives the best non-English language film award. It also receives ten of the Academy Award nominations including nods for best picture and best foreign-language picture on February 13.

Michelle Kwan wins her fourth straight U.S. Figure Skaging championships. Commented on her performance on Saturday, January 20, CNN states "it was impressive enough for seven 5.9s and two 6.0s for artistry from the nine judges." Ms. Kwan also wins fourth World Figure Skating championships on Saturday, March 24.

Dr. John Bu Tsu is appointed by President Bush chair of the newly established the President's Advisory Commission.

The Pehong and Adele Chen Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology Institute is established at Stanford University. Pehong Chen, founder and CEO of BroadVision (Nasdaq: BVSN), and his wife, Adele, donate $15 million to Stanford University to establish the new institute.

Chinese film, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," receives four Oscar awards on March 25: best cinematography won by Peter Pau, best art direction won by Tim Yip, best foreign language film, and best original score by Tan Dun. .The movie exceeds $100 million at the box.

According to the Census Bureau, the total population of Asians has risen sharply to a range of 10.5 million to 12.8 million, a dramatic rise from 7.3 million a decade ago.

An American team led by Ms. En-Ming Hsu, executive pastry chef at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago, is a gold medal at the World Pastry Cup in Lyon, France.

The First National Conference on Asian Pacific American Librarians (NCAPAL) is held in San Francisco, June 13-15, 2001.

On September 11, four hijacked airplanes by terrorists attack the United States. Two hit the World Trade Center in New York, one at Pentagon, and one crashes in Pennsylvania. The World Trade Center is destroyed and one side of the Pentagon damaged. The suicidal attack kills and injures numerous people, including many Chinese.

Chang Hsueh-liang, also known as "Young Marshall", son of Marshall Chang Tso-ling. Marshall Chang Tso-lin assassinated by the Japanese, dies on October 21 at 101.

John C. Liu, democrat, is elected to the New York City Council. He is the first Asian American ever elected for the major office in the city.

Dr. Joe Hin Tijo dies on November 27. He makes groundbreaking findings on the exact number of chromosomes.

Dr. Son-Hai Shi, 27, is the 2001 Amersham Pharmacia Grand Prize winner of the Young Scientist Prize for his work on memory and learning.

2002 [Links to events are provided]

January

Julie Su was awarded the MacArthur Foundation Fellows Program prize.

New York State Governor George E. Pataki talked about 14 heroes including two Chinese in his January 9, "2002 State of the State Address."

Michelle Kwan, 21, won the 6th national title in figure skating.

Wang Zhizhi of the Dallas Mavericks was honored with a set of stamps.

February

David Ho, the director and chief executive officer at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, is offered vice chancelloshipr of the University of Hong Kong.

Rev. John Fu died on Monday, February 11. He was 99.

Yun Tau Chee, who as the first Miss Hawaii helped break the color barrier in the Miss America pageant, died Feb. 21 in Kailua, Hawaii

March

Dr. Stan Shih was awarded the inaugural Chang-Lin Tien Fellowship of UC Berkeley.

Chicago on-site artist Grace Lai, 74, will be among those featured on local television station NBC 5.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Debra W. Yang, 42, was nominated by President Bush to be US Attorney for Southern California on March 22

April

Yo-Yo Ma is one of the honorees of the 2001 National Medal of Arts presented by President Bush on April 22.

Dr. Shin Wang, born on January 9, 1963 in Hong Kong, died on April 20, 2002

New York Chinatown hardest hit after September 11

Dr. Hongkai Zhao has been named 2002 Sloan Research Fellow.

May

Nation's Asian and Pacific Islander population profiled by Census Bureau.

Dean Lung is honored for his contribution to East Asian Studies at Columbia University,

Dorothy In-lan Wang Li is awarded 2002 Distinguished Service Award. of The John Marshall Law School.

June

Four Chinese Americans are USAMO winners in Mathematics honored in D.C.

Columbia University opens papers of Chang Hsueh-liang and Edith Chao Chang.

Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund received $300,000 donation from World Journal.

July

Yin Yu Tang added to the Peabody Essex Museum.

Robert Tjian heads Berkeley Health Sciences Initiative

The Chinese American Alliance for China's Peaceful Reunification (CAACPR) holds an International Forum for Peaceful Reunification of China at Hyatt Regency, Chicago.

Joann Lee named journalism dean at Nevada

Ron Li chosen as NASA scientist for its Mars Exploration Rover 2003 mission.

Quincy Wong died at 48.

The Academia Sinica elected 20 new members from 42 candidates on June 4. Many Chinese in the United States were awarded the highest honor.

August

King-lui Wu dead at 84.

. NBC presents "East Asians: changing mainstream America."

Gemstar and Henry C. Yuen in financial trouble

Theodore Yaotsu Wu elected to Chinese Academy of Science.

September

Yu Hsiu Ku died at 100

Chinese women honored in San Francisco.