Tsai Ing-wen

Tsai Ing-wen
Name	Tsai Ing-wen
Office	President of the Republic of China
Term start	20 May 2016
Term end	20 May 2024
Predecessor	Ma Ying-jeou
Successor	Lai Ching-te
Office1	Chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party
Term start1	20 May 2020
Term end1	18 November 2022
Predecessor1	Cho Jung-tai (acting)
Successor1	Chen Chi-mai
Term start2	28 May 2012
Term end2	2 November 2014
Predecessor2	Chen Chu (acting)
Successor2	Ker Chien-ming (acting)
Term start3	15 May 2008
Term end3	13 February 2012
Birth date	31 August 1956
Birth place	Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan Province, Republic of China
Party	Democratic Progressive Party (since 2004)
Alma mater	National Taiwan University, Cornell University, London School of Economics

Tsai Ing-wen served as the President of the Republic of China from 2016 to 2024, the first woman to hold the office. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party, she previously served as its chairperson on multiple occasions and held several key positions in the Executive Yuan. Her tenure was defined by a focus on indigenous rights, renewable energy development, and navigating complex relations with the People's Republic of China.

Early life and education

Born in Zhongshan District, Taipei, she is the youngest of eleven children in a Hakka family originally from Fangshan, Pingtung. She attended the prestigious Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School before enrolling at National Taiwan University's College of Law, where she earned a Bachelor of Laws degree. For graduate studies, she traveled to the United States, obtaining a Master of Laws from Cornell University in 1980. She later completed a Doctor of Philosophy in law at the London School of Economics in 1984, with her thesis focusing on unfair trade practices.

Academic and legal career

Upon returning to Taiwan, she began a career in academia, teaching international trade law and competition policy at Soochow University and National Chengchi University. She served as a legal consultant for the Ministry of Economic Affairs during Taiwan's accession negotiations with the World Trade Organization. Her expertise led to her appointment as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States review team and she participated in drafting the Statute for Investment by Foreign Nationals in the early 1990s.

Political career

Her formal political career began when she was appointed as a minister without portfolio in the Executive Yuan under the Chen Shui-bian administration in 2000. She later served as Vice Premier from 2006 to 2007. After the Democratic Progressive Party's defeat in the 2008 presidential election, she was elected chairperson of the party, leading it through a period of rebuilding. She was the DPP's nominee in the 2012 presidential election, losing to incumbent Ma Ying-jeou.

Presidency

She was elected president in the 2016 election in a landslide victory over the Kuomintang's Eric Chu. Her inauguration on 20 May 2016 marked the third peaceful transfer of power in Taiwan. She was re-elected for a second term in the 2020 election, defeating Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu by a historic margin. Her presidency concluded in May 2024, succeeded by Lai Ching-te of the DPP.

Policies and political positions

Her administration launched the Five Plus Two Innovative Industries initiative to spur economic transformation. In energy policy, she championed the Nuclear-free homeland goal, aiming to phase out nuclear power by 2025, though this timeline was later adjusted. She established the National Human Rights Commission and formally apologized to the nation's indigenous peoples for historical injustices. On Cross-Strait relations, she maintained the status quo, rejecting the 1992 Consensus while facing increased military pressure from the People's Liberation Army.

Personal life and public image

She is unmarried and has no children, often stating that she is "married to Taiwan." She is a cat lover and her two cats, Think Think and Ah Tsai, became popular figures on her social media. An avid reader, she has cited Haruki Murakami and Eileen Chang as favorite authors. She is known for her reserved and analytical demeanor, earning nicknames like "Little Chile Pepper" early in her career for her sharp debating style. She enjoys hiking in Yangmingshan National Park and is a fan of the television series House of Cards.

Category:1956 births Category:Presidents of the Republic of China Category:Democratic Progressive Party politicians