Qualities of A Supreme Leader

Written by Peter Li-Chang Kuo

(Chinese)

The ancients said: "He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened. He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is truly powerful." The concept of "self-conquest" speaks to the growth of personal wisdom and the cultivation of the soul, enabling one to transcend the limitations of the external world. This deeper form of success—mastery over oneself—was the true path of wisdom revered by the sages of old.

At 7:43 AM, I received an email stating that U.S. President Donald Trump had announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, the two countries may take the first step towards peace.

Fig 1: Trump announcing the ceasefire between the two countries

Trump said:

CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED! Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World. During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL. On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, "THE 12 DAY WAR." This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn't, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!

Fig 2: Screenshot of the email

During my time as serve a reserved officer, I was required to attend a course on "Leadership and Command." It is said that the practical application of this course is key to whether an entire team can operate effectively and achieve success.

The importance of leadership and command lies not only in "leading people" but also in uniting hearts, planning directions, inspiring action, implementing systems, and maximizing human resource effectiveness. In the military especially, excellent leadership and command capabilities are indispensable foundations for victory. Leadership and command enable team members to establish common goals, understand why and for whom they are fighting, build consensus, and ignite intrinsic motivation. It further allows for the effective integration of resources, maximizing limited assets.

Outstanding leaders know how to assign the right person to the right position, lead by example to build trust, and foster high cohesion and resilience within the team. The leader’s decision-making, adaptability, and vision directly impact the team’s survival and development. In times of difficulty and change, a leader’s command capability is the key to stabilizing morale and turning crises into opportunities.

In short, "With extraordinary leadership comes extraordinary teams."

Leadership and command are about transforming the collective power of individuals into organizational strength to achieve goals that no individual could accomplish alone.

The morning of June 22, when I saw a breaking news: Trump stood at the podium, his back flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, announcing that "the U.S. military had completed a military operation and that the air force had safely returned from Iran."

Fig 3: Trump and his team announcing the completion of the military operation

Before Trump’s words "I'll make decision in the next two weeks" had even faded, a military operation involving B-2 bombers and other aircraft totaling 125 sorties had already been completed, stunning the global media and military observers.

The key point is that this operation, which involved tens of thousands of personnel, was completed without any information leaks, with a level of secrecy surpassing that of "Tora! Tora! Tora!"

The essential qualities of a national leader can be analyzed from several perspectives, summarized in five key points:

1. Personal Traits:

1)Integrity and Honesty: Being truthful and trustworthy, with a clear distinction between public and private interests, is the foundation of leadership.

2)Resilience: Facing significant challenges without giving up easily and being able to bear pressure.

3)Great Ambition: Having a grand national vision and a sense of mission, unmoved by personal gain.

4)Inclusiveness: Being able to accommodate different voices and respect diverse opinions.

2. Wisdom and Capabilities:

1)Strategic Thinking: Possessing the ability for broad planning and long-term strategies.

2)Crisis Management: Responding quickly, decisively, and effectively to emergencies.

3)Decision-Making Ability: Making the best choices amid uncertainty, balancing public opinion and national interest.

4)Diplomatic Skills: Understanding international relations and safeguarding national dignity and interests.

5)Administrative Management: Effectively managing government operations and integrating resources across departments.

3. Morality and Character:

1)People-Oriented: Prioritizing the well-being of the people and putting their interests first.

2)Humility and Self-Reflection: Willing to listen to criticism and capable of introspection and improvement.

3)Fairness and Justice: Upholding the rule of law, ensuring social fairness, and rejecting cartels and corruption.

4. Practical Background:

1)Sufficient Experience: Typically with substantial experience in key areas such as diplomacy, economy, administration, or the military.

2)Good International Reputation: Credible and cooperative in the international community.

3)Strong Social Support: Able to secure stable and broad public support.

5. Alignment with the Times:

1)Meeting the Needs of the Era: Suited to address the current national challenges, such as strong leadership during wartime and governance capabilities during peacetime.

2)Technological Literacy: In modern times, leaders must understand technological trends, such as technical education, precision manufacturing, AI, digital economy, and energy transformation, to guide national development.

Observing this military operation, code-named "Operation Midnight Hammer," from Trump’s announcement on June 22 of the successful operation—bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—to this morning, June 24 Taiwan time, when the ceasefire and peace announcement was received via email, all took place within just two days. Trump’s actions will undoubtedly be left for future historians to evaluate.

In contrast to Trump’s decisiveness and swiftness in action, one cannot help but mention another former U.S. President—Jimmy Carter.

After the Republic of China (Taiwan) "voluntarily withdrew" from the United Nations in October 1971, Taiwan immediately faced a massive wave of emigration. Almost every month, someone would come to promote "immigration opportunities." Many of our wealthy relatives emigrated to other countries.

Only I remained, diligently helping the local people who had no chance to leave. Eventually, I successfully led the complete transition from the vacuum tube era to the “transistor era.”

When Chiang Ching-Kuo became Premier, he invited us to breakfast meetings, and we were finally able to contribute financially to realize his "Ten Major Construction Projects."

After Carter took office as President of the United States on January 20, 1977, he was determined to destroy the newly steadying "Republic of China." At that time, I was serving as a reserved officer of the 26th term at Chengkungling.

On January 25, 1977, Premier Chiang Ching-Kuo invited me to another breakfast meeting. He asked if I had paper and a pen, saying he wanted to give me a message. I pulled out a small notebook and a ballpoint pen from my pocket. He then said:

“The fiercest storm cannot drown a person with confidence;

The greatest obstacles cannot block a person with courage;

The harshest environment cannot trouble a person with ambition;

The most difficult tasks cannot suppress a person with responsibility;

The most bitter encounters cannot break a person with integrity;

The cruelest enemy cannot defeat a person with determination.”

Fig 4: Chiang Ching-Kuo’s message on January 25, 1977

As I reflected on the words "storm, obstacle, adversity, difficulty, bitterness, cruel enemy"—they all seemed to relate to Carter.

Fortunately, Chiang Ching-kuo possessed the essential qualities of a national leader: "confidence, courage, ambition, responsibility, integrity, and determination." That is why the Republic of China could stand firm in Taiwan despite the pressure.

Even though Carter intended to destroy Taiwan, I still worked hard to help American clients develop new products, hoping the U.S. could recover from its economic slump. However, Carter could not wait—he established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China on New Year’s Day, 1979, and simultaneously severed ties with the Republic of China.

He also unilaterally tore up "the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty" and forced the Republic of China into "the Taiwan Relations Act."

This terrified American engineers, who no longer dared to come to Taiwan, fearing they might never return home. As a result, I had to travel to the United States myself to develop "satellite receiver"—even at such a low point, Taiwan was still helping Carter reverse America’s economic downturn.

Yet Carter was not satisfied. He then moved to destroy the Pahlavi dynasty. He ultimately helped Ayatollah Khomeini return to Iran, forcing Shah Pahlavi into a life of exile, wandering like a lost dog.

Khomeini quickly turned against the U.S., using the Shah’s medical treatment in America as an excuse to incite mobs to storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Tragically, American diplomats were taken hostage and held for 444 days.

James Kunstler, author of "World Made By Hand," described the plight of America in the post-oil age and summarized the psychological state of the American people in the 1970s as follows:

"Frustration, Watergate, two oil crises, shocking industrial decline, the humiliation of the Iranian hostage crisis under President Carter, persistent inflation, high unemployment, the decay of major cities—memories of the good old days were continually fading away."

In response to the accumulated trauma under Carter's administration, the American people elected Ronald Reagan, an actor-turned-politician, as President in 1980.

Major reforms soon swept through the public sector, heralding the arrival of a new era, embracing new life standards and moral values. People could finally invest in noble ideals and hope to shape an ideal world.

Shortly after Reagan took office, the American hostages were released, but the mess Carter left behind has remained unresolved for 46 years.

Until the morning of June 22, 2025, a glimmer of hope appeared as everyone watched Trump’s three-minute announcement of the completion of "Operation Midnight Hammer." Unexpectedly, this morning, the message of "Ceasefire – Peace" was received.

Jimmy Carter, who claimed to be a servant of God, supported atheists and backed the establishment of a theocratic regime in Iran, leading to worldwide chaos. Yet because he embraced multilateralism, which aligns with liberal ideology, he was awarded the “Nobel Peace Prize” in 2002.

Compared with Carter, the "Global Channel-TES" we invented is called the "Multilateral Trading System". Its socially responsible investment (SRI) has universal values ​​and humanistic care. It has helped the world out of the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the SARS public health crisis, and the 2008 financial tsunami - rebuilding the global economy, and "helping more than one billion people make money at home" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Are we more qualified for the Nobel Peace Prize?

Let’s pause here and take a look at Trump’s diplomatic achievements in the Middle East. During his term as the 45th President of the United States, he brokered the "Abraham Accords," normalizing diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco—ending years of hostility. This was the most substantial progress in Middle East peace since 1979.

Trump also became the first sitting U.S. President to meet with North Korea’s Supreme Leader. Although a complete nuclear agreement was not reached, he successfully broke through a 70-year Cold War deadlock.

Despite achieving concrete peace agreements, and despite multiple nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump was never seriously considered. To this day, the Nobel Committee has not officially commented on the significance of the "Abraham Accords."

Laozi once said:

"Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others shows strength; mastering yourself shows true power." (Tao Te Ching)

Being able to appoint the right people is a sign of wisdom, but understanding oneself is even more profound.

Defeating others demonstrates strength, but conquering oneself is true power.

I believe what Trump now needs is a level of "Transcendence"—to pursue inner victories rather than external achievements.

From Trump’s announcement on June 22, 2025, of the military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities— “Operation Midnight Hammer” —to the phased ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran announced on June 23 (Washington time), he demonstrated a strategy that combined military pressure with diplomatic dialogue. This ultimately led to a temporary ceasefire in a 12-day war in the Middle East and may even resolve a 46-year-old conflict.

Throughout the process, Trump emphasized "America First" and, during Oval Office calls, exercised restraint that eventually led both sides to agree to the ceasefire, showing his attempt to strike a balance between toughness and peace.

From the perspective of Laozi’s philosophy, Trump’s actions can be seen as an embodiment of "True strength comes from mastering oneself."

After demonstrating military power (mastering others shows strength), he turned to self-restraint and wise mediation (knowing yourself is true wisdom) to achieve peace.

This strategy transcends mere military or diplomatic efforts; it combines power with wisdom and aligns with the realm of "Transcendence"—surpassing traditional confrontations to seek higher-level peaceful solutions. As for how the international community will evaluate his role in peace, it may not be something Trump particularly cares about.

Peter Li-Chang Kuo, the author created Taiwan's Precision Industry in his early years. Peter was a representative of the APEC CEO Summit and an expert in the third sector. He advocated "anti-corruption (AC)/cashless/e-commerce (E-Com)/ICT/IPR/IIA-TES / Micro-Business (MB)…and etc." to win the international bills and regulations.

【Copyrights reserved by Li-Chang Kuo & K-Horn Science Inc.】

External Links:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US6304796 (VAM)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030197061 (Shopping System)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030107468 (Entry Security Device)

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20040054595A1 (ETC)

https://ldinventions.blogspot.com/2022/01/127.html  (A Universal Cashless System)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/10/1011.html (K-Horn Science Inc.)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/11/1110.html (K-Horn & APEC)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2023/12/1208.html (K-Horn’s SRI)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/01/105.html (K-Horn’s PCM)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/03/326.html (Tree's Whiskers)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/05/515.html (The Best Practice)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/06/609.html (Edison’s Inspiration)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2024/07/704.html (Apollo)

https://khornhb.blogspot.com/2024/07/721.html (Paving the Way for AI)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2024/08/818.html (Disney Intelligent System)

https://ksibusiness.blogspot.com/2024/10/1028.html (SRI & Global Channel-TES)

https://plckai.blogspot.com/2024/11/1103.html (On Ethics & Morality of the AI Era)

https://plckai.blogspot.com/2024/11/1110.html (On the Use and Abuse of Technology)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2024/11/1112.html (Peru APEC)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/11/1127.html (A Proposal to President Trump)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/12/1208.html (2ND Proposal “IIA-TES”)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2024/12/1220.html (TES & MAGA)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2024/12/1231.html (Kuo’s Journey for 6 Decades)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/01/111.html (The Photonics Revolution)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/01/121.html (Einstein’s Enlightenment)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/02/208.html (Art Olympics)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/02/216.html (Grandmother’s Paper-cutting Legacy)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/03/303.html (Grandfather’s Photography)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/03/323.html (Getting to Know Trump)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/03/331.html (Cijin Grand Maritime Project)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/04/404.html (The One I Long For)

https://pkproposal.blogspot.com/2025/04/409.html (A Letter to President Trump)

https://ksibusiness.blogspot.com/2025/04/413.html (Top Secret)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/04/416.html (Singapore’s Strategy in a Changing World)

https://pkproclaims.blogspot.com/2025/04/422.html (How the American Elite Think)

https://pkproclaims.blogspot.com/2025/04/425.html (My Grandfather & the Tainan Canal)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/04/428.html (The Inventions of Linda Din)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/05/502.html (Theological Practice in Precision Industry)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/05/502.html (Theological Practice in Precision Industry)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/05/514.html (Li-Chang Kuo’s Caring Technology)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/05/519.html (520 Presidential Inauguration Day)

https://tesoperation.blogspot.com/2025/05/522.html (Investing in America’s Health)

https://tesoperation.blogspot.com/2025/05/527.html (Lind Din’s Rice Dumpling in TES)

https://tesoperation.blogspot.com/2025/06/605.html (Greatest Business Opportunity)

https://pklctrips.blogspot.com/2025/06/612.html (Grand Maritime Initiative)

https://klcapec.blogspot.com/2025/06/618.html (TES & APEC)

https://lckstory.blogspot.com/2025/06/622.html (Crystal Soap & Precision Manufacturing)

https://ko-fi.com/ndart2025 (Donate the NDART)

“Donatethe NDART”