Hau Lung-pin

Hau Lung-pin
臺北市政府 · Attribution · source
Name	Hau Lung-pin
Native name	郝龍斌
Birth date	6 December 1949
Birth place	Taipei
Nationality	Taiwan
Occupation	Politician
Party	Kuomintang
Spouse	Tu Hsiang‑wen
Alma mater	National Taiwan University, Stanford University

Hau Lung-pin is a Taiwanese politician affiliated with the Kuomintang who served as Mayor of Taipei from 2006 to 2014 and as a member of the Legislative Yuan. He is the son of former Vice Premier of the Republic of China Hau Pei-tsun and has played prominent roles in municipal administration, cross‑strait relations, and party leadership. His career spans service in Taipei City Government, national legislature, and international municipal networks.

Early life and education

Born in Taipei in 1949 to a military family, Hau is the son of Hau Pei-tsun, a former senior officer in the Republic of China Armed Forces and politician who served as Premier of the Republic of China. Hau completed secondary education in Taiwan before attending National Taiwan University, where he studied medicine and earned an MD degree. He pursued postgraduate training and research at Stanford University in the United States, and subsequently returned to Taiwan to practice medicine and engage with academic institutions, including Taipei Veterans General Hospital and medical faculties associated with National Yang Ming University.

Political career

Hau transitioned from medicine to politics, joining the Kuomintang and entering public service. He was appointed to posts in the Taipei City Government under earlier administrations and later elected to the Legislative Yuan in multiple terms. Hau's early political work involved interaction with central agencies such as the Ministry of the Interior and legislative committees concerned with urban affairs, public health, and transportation. He emerged as a prominent KMT figure during electoral contests for the Mayoralty of Taipei and participated in national campaigns for the Presidency of the Republic of China and KMT leadership contests.

Tenure as Mayor of Taipei

Elected Mayor in 2006, Hau oversaw municipal administration of Taipei through infrastructure projects, urban renewal, and international municipal diplomacy with cities like Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Singapore. His administration managed major projects affecting the Taipei Metro, urban development in areas adjacent to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport transit links, and public works related to flood control and road networks tied to National Freeway 1 corridors. Hau's mayoralty engaged with cultural institutions such as the National Palace Museum, heritage conservation sites in Dadaocheng, and events like the Taipei Lantern Festival. He also participated in transnational municipal forums including the Metropolis network and exchanges with the United Nations associated local government initiatives.

Legislative and party roles

After mayoral terms, Hau returned to broader party activities within the Kuomintang and took roles interacting with the Legislative Yuan, KMT central committees, and policy caucuses focused on cross‑strait development. He served on legislative panels that interfaced with the Executive Yuan and ministries such as the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the Ministry of Economic Affairs on metropolitan projects. Hau represented municipal interests in national budget deliberations, liaised with international counterparts through bodies like the International Association of City Mayors, and contributed to KMT platform discussions related to relations with the People's Republic of China and participation in regional economic frameworks such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Policy positions and initiatives

Hau advocated pragmatic engagement with neighboring jurisdictions, promoting exchanges with municipal governments in the People's Republic of China while emphasizing Taipei's status and links to partners like Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Seoul Metropolitan Government. He supported infrastructure investment in mass transit projects connected to the Taipei Metro and joint ventures that involved stakeholders including the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and private developers. On cultural policy he emphasized partnerships with institutions such as the National Taiwan University Hospital for public health outreach and the National Palace Museum for tourism. Hau took positions on environmental and disaster preparedness measures involving agencies like the Water Resources Agency and the Central Weather Administration, and backed initiatives to streamline municipal services in concert with the Control Yuan and legislative oversight committees.

Personal life and controversies

Hau is married to Tu Hsiang‑wen and is part of a politically prominent family including Hau Pei‑tsun. His tenure prompted debate over urban development decisions, interactions with developers, and cross‑strait contacts with officials from the People's Republic of China. Controversies included scrutiny by media outlets such as the China Times and Apple Daily (Taiwan) over administrative choices, and political disputes with figures in the Democratic Progressive Party and factions within the Kuomintang. Hau has maintained a public profile through appearances at forums sponsored by organizations like the Formosa Foundation and interactions with international municipal partners, while also facing criticism in relation to transparency and land‑use approvals addressed in municipal council hearings and by civic groups.

Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:Mayors of Taipei Category:Kuomintang politicians in Taiwan