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| Vice President of the Republic of China | |
|---|---|
| Post | Vice President of the Republic of China |
| Native name | 副總統 |
| Incumbent | William Lai |
| Incumbentsince | 20 May 2024 |
| Style | His Excellency |
| Residence | Official Residence of the Vice President of the Republic of China |
| Appoint | Direct election |
| Termlength | Four years, renewable once |
| Formation | 20 May 1948 |
| Inaugural | Li Zongren |
Vice President of the Republic of China
The Vice President of the Republic of China is the second-highest elected official in the Republic of China political system, serving alongside the President of the Republic of China with constitutionally defined responsibilities and ceremonial roles. The office has played roles in crises involving the Kuomintang, the Democratic Progressive Party, cross-strait relations with the People's Republic of China, and domestic politics shaped by events such as the 228 Incident and the democratization era culminating in the first direct presidential election in 1996. Holders of the office have included figures associated with Chiang Kai-shek, Lee Teng-hui, and contemporary leaders connected to Taiwan's evolving identity and international status.
The office was established under the 1947 Constitution of the Republic of China and first occupied by Li Zongren in 1948 during the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party. After the ROC government's relocation to Taiwan and Chiang Kai-shek's administration, vice presidents such as Chen Cheng and Lien Chan served during periods shaped by martial law and later liberalization under Lee Teng-hui. The 1990s saw electoral reforms leading to the 1996 direct election won by Lee Teng-hui and vice presidential candidates aligned with parties like the New Party and the Democratic Progressive Party. The office evolved through interactions with institutions such as the Legislative Yuan, the Judicial Yuan, and the Control Yuan, reflecting constitutional amendments and campaigns involving figures like Annette Lu, Vincent Siew, and Siew Wan-chang.
The vice president's constitutional duties include assuming the presidency under conditions set by the Constitution of the Republic of China and performing duties delegated by the President of the Republic of China. Practically, vice presidents have represented the ROC in meetings with entities such as the Legislative Yuan, exchanges with delegations from the United States including interactions related to the Taiwan Relations Act, and engagement with municipal leaders from Taipei and Kaohsiung. Holders have chaired commissions and advisory bodies convened by presidents like Ma Ying-jeou and Tsai Ing-wen or participated in international fora in locations such as Washington, D.C., Tokyo, and Brussels, often intersecting with institutions like the American Institute in Taiwan and the European Union delegations. The office also carries ceremonial roles in state ceremonies involving symbols like the Blue Sky with a White Sun emblem and interactions with the National Palace Museum.
The vice president is elected on a joint ticket with the president by direct popular vote under rules specified in the Constitution of the Republic of China and subsequent electoral laws administered by the Central Election Commission (Taiwan). The term is four years, with the possibility of one consecutive reelection, aligning with presidential terms exemplified by administrations of Chen Shui-bian, Ma Ying-jeou, and Tsai Ing-wen. Election campaigns frequently involve party organizations such as the Kuomintang, the Democratic Progressive Party, and smaller parties like the People First Party and the New Power Party, and see prominent politicians including James Soong and Wang Jin-pyng as running mates or rivals.
Under the Constitution of the Republic of China, the vice president becomes acting president if the president is incapacitated, resigns, dies, or is otherwise unable to discharge duties; permanent succession follows constitutional procedures and has historical parallels in transitions after the death of Chiang Kai-shek and during temporary absences of presidents such as Yen Chia-kan. The office has been central in crises involving the Presidential Office Building and legal questions adjudicated by the Judicial Yuan, with succession plans often discussed in the Legislative Yuan and among party leaders like Lien Chan and Frank Hsieh.
The vice president's official residence and offices are maintained in Taipei, with ceremonial insignia including standards and emblems derived from the National Emblem of the Republic of China and the Flag of the Republic of China. Functions are often hosted at locations like the Presidential Office Building, the Chungshan Hall, and cultural sites such as the National Theater and Concert Hall and the National Palace Museum. State visits and receptions may involve foreign missions including the American Institute in Taiwan, representatives from Japan, and delegations from the European Union and ASEAN.
Prominent vice presidents include Li Zongren, who served during the late phase of the Chinese Civil War, Chen Cheng, an influential Kuomintang leader, Lien Chan, who later negotiated cross-strait dialogue with the Communist Party of China and visited Beijing, Annette Lu, a leading figure from the Democratic Progressive Party and advocate during the democratization era, Vincent Siew, who served under Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-jeou administrations in different capacities, and William Lai, a former premier linked to contemporary policy debates involving the Cross-Strait Policy Review and relations with the United States. These figures intersect with events such as the 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, the Sunflower Student Movement, and bilateral talks influenced by entities like the American Institute in Taiwan and the Straits Exchange Foundation.
The vice presidency occupies both a succession role and a political platform used by parties like the Kuomintang and the Democratic Progressive Party to balance tickets, signal policy priorities on issues involving cross-strait relations, and appeal to constituencies in regions such as Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Public perception of vice presidents has been shaped by media coverage in outlets associated with Taiwanese civil society, by legal scrutiny in institutions like the Control Yuan, and by electoral dynamics involving leaders such as Tsai Ing-wen and Ma Ying-jeou, with approval influenced by events including the Sunflower Student Movement and responses to international challenges involving the United States and the People's Republic of China.