Tien retained the role as the government of the Republic of China retreated to Taiwan, serving until 1950.

He subsequently served as Minister of the Interior from 1958 to 1960, then returned to the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission until 1963.

[1] A native of Qingcheng County, he attended Peking University, where he participated in the May Fourth Movement.

[1] Tien also retained his Control Yuan position, which included oversight of Gansu and Shaanxi.

Upon stepping down from the ministry of the interior in 1960, Tien served on the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission for a second time, until 1963.