In March 1995, Tien, Chang Chun-hung, Chai Trong-rong, and Yu Chen Yueh-ying attended a luncheon hosted by the Formosan Association for Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., where they called for US Congresspeople to ask the ruling Kuomintang government in Taiwan to grant a fourth television broadcast license to Formosa Television, representing the political opposition.
[2] Tien became a member of the Taiwan Independence Party, and served as vice chairman of Formosa Television.
[3] During the 1998 legislative elections, he sought a seat from Taichung County on behalf of the Taiwan Independence Party.
[3] After Kuo Pei-hung [zh] assumed the chairmanship, Tien became an honorary director of Formosa Television.
[8] In this role, Tien expressed opposition to the April 2019 vote that named Wang Ming-yu Kuo's successor.