- Chai Trong-rong
-
Chai Trong-rong 
Chai Trong-rong at 2008 CIPFG Global Human Rights Torch Relay in Taiwan 1st President of the WUFI In office
1970–1971Succeeded by Peng Ming-min Personal details Born June 13, 1935
Chiayi, TaiwanPolitical party Democratic Progressive Party Alma mater National Taiwan University
University of Tennessee
University of Southern CaliforniaOccupation Politician Chai Trong-rong Traditional Chinese 蔡同榮 Simplified Chinese 蔡同荣 Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Cài Tóngróng - Wade–Giles Tsài Tóngróng Chai Trong-rong (born June 13, 1935), sometimes known in English as Trong Chai, is a Taiwanese politician. He is currently a member of the Legislative Yuan, the national legislative body of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Born in Taiwan, Chai earned his master's and doctorate degrees in the United States. He is a pro-democracy advocate and founded the Association for a Plebiscite in 1990.
A member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Chai has been elected a national-level legislator multiple times. He has taken part in three of the DPP chairmanship elections. However, he lost all three of the elections.
Contents
Early life and education
Chai Trong-rong was born on June 13, 1935, in modern-day Budai, Chiayi County, Taiwan. At the time, Taiwan was still part of the Empire of Japan. After the Second World War, his father served as Chiayi County council member for two terms.[1]
After his graduation from the National Tainan First Senior High School, Chai attended the National Taiwan University (NTU) studying political science. He later switched his major to law and graduated from the NTU College of Law in 1958. He was then conscripted and served in the Republic of China (Taiwan) Army for sixteen months.[1]
In 1960, Chai went to the United States and studied at the University of Tennessee, where he earned his master's degree in political science. As a result of participating in the independence movement of Taiwan, Chai was placed on the Kuomintang's black list and was unable to return to Taiwan.[1] He continued studying and attended the University of Southern California, earning his doctorate degree in 1969.[2] In 1986, Chai became a professor of political science at the City University of New York.[2]
Entry into politics
Chai established the World United Formosans for Independence (WUFI) in 1970 and became its first president. Then in 1982, he founded the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), serving as its first president also.[1]
Chai returned to Taiwan to in the name of attending a funeral in June 1990. He was issued a new passport and joined the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) shortly after his arrival. He founded the Association for a Plebiscite (traditional Chinese: 公民投票促進會; simplified Chinese: 公民投票促进会; pinyin: Gōngmín Tóupiaò Cùjìnhùi) in November. The goal of the association was to reform through the will of the people.[1]
Legislative career
Chai was elected a legislator representing Chiayi City in 1992. Although he was not reelected in 1995 running against Vincent Siew of the Kuomintang, he was elected into the Legislative Yuan again in the 1997 by-election and reelected in 1998, 2001, and 2004.[2] During these terms, Chai was involved in the National Defense, Overseas Compatriot Affairs, and Foreign Affairs Committees.[3][4]
He supported the localization policies of the Chen Shui-bian administration. In 2005, he urged the Ministry of Education to get rid of contexts of "aboveboard Chinese" (Chinese: 堂堂正正的中國人; a Chinese nationalistic term imposed by the Chiang Kai-shek regime after World War II) from the back cover of elementary school workbooks.[5] In response to the Anti-Secession Law of the People's Republic of China, Chai and legislator Chuang He-chi proposed draft for an "Anti-Annexation Law."[6][7]
Chairmanship campaigns
Main articles: Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship election, 2006 and Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship election, 2008Despite the fact that Chai was endorsed by renowned pharmacologist Chen-Yuan Lee, he lost the DPP chairmanship election in 1996.[1] However, the resignation of Su Tseng-chang as DPP chairperson in 2005 led to Chai's decision to run again. He was the first in the party to register his candidacy.[8]
Chai was one of the three candidates who registered. He was endorsed by vice president Annette Lu and foreign minister Mark Chen. The election was held in January 2006. Former Secretary-General of the Presidential Office Yu Shyi-kun won with over 54% of the votes while Chai received 36%.[9]
In 2008, after the defeat of Frank Hsieh in the presidential election, DPP candidate Hsieh resigned as chairman and announced the date for the chairmanship election. Chai declared his candidacy on April 14.[10]
Although the DPP passed a resolution to ban all factions within the party in 2006,[11] the dissent between former members of different factions was still present and was thought to be one of the factors that led to DPP's loss in the presidential election. Chai, along with Koo Kwang-min emphasized the importance of consolidating the party's policy on independence, while Tsai Ing-wen focused on the cooperation of former factions and expansion of the party's support base.[12]
Chai was supported by Tainan City mayor Hsu Tain-tsair,[13] but decided to withdraw from the race in May and gave his support to another candidate Koo Kwang-min.[14] However, it was too late to officially withdraw from the election, and Chai received 5 percent of the votes.[15]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "蔡同榮——“蔡公投”". http://big5.china.com.cn/zhuanti2005/txt/2002-11/28/content_5239091.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- ^ a b c "立法委員蔡同榮自傳". Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20091022213153/http://geocities.com/CapitolHill/Embassy/3898/bio-1.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- ^ "Member Profile (7th)" (in traditional Chinese). Legislative Yuan. http://www.ly.gov.tw/ly/01_introduce/0103_leg/leg_main/leg_ver01_01.jsp?lgno=00095&stage=7&ItemNO=01030100. Retrieved 2008-07-03.[dead link]
- ^ "Member Profile (4th)" (in traditional Chinese). Legislative Yuan. http://www.ly.gov.tw/ly/01_introduce/0103_leg/leg_main/leg_ver01_01.jsp?ItemNO=01030100&lgno=00187&stage=4. Retrieved 2008-07-03.[dead link]
- ^ "作業簿標語 立委促正名". Liberty Times. Taiwan (ROC). http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2005/new/feb/5/today-p3.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- ^ "反制中國 立委擬反併吞法草案". Liberty Times. Taiwan (ROC). http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2005/new/mar/10/today-fo3.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
- ^ "與彼岸鬥法 泛綠紛提案". Liberty Times. Taiwan (ROC). http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2005/new/mar/12/today-fo2.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
- ^ "Lu confirms she won't run for post". The Taipei Times. Archived from the original on August 17, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070817113409/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2005/12/17/2003284755. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
- ^ "Yu Shyi-kun wins DPP Chair election". Democratic Progressive Party. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070807060936/http://dpptaiwan.blogspot.com/2006/01/yu-shyi-kun-wins-dpp-chair-election-yu.html. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
- ^ Ko Shu-ling. "Chai makes bid for DPP chair". The Taipei Times. https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/04/15/2003409323. Retrieved 2008-05-01.[dead link]
- ^ DPP votes to do away with factions. . The Taipei Times. 2006-07-24. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2006/07/24/2003320124. Retrieved 2008-08-06.[dead link]
- ^ DPP contenders debate on party direction, policy. . The Taipei Times. 2008-05-11. Archived from the original on June 3, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080603174226/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/05/11/2003411670. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ 選黨主席 市長挺蔡同榮. (in traditional Chinese). Liberty Times (Taiwan (ROC)). 2008-05-12. http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/may/12/today-south14.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
- ^ Chai pulls out of DPP leadership race. . The Taipei Times. 2008-05-13. Archived from the original on May 23, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080523040807/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/05/13/2003411823. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
- ^ "第12屆黨主席選舉投（開）票數統計表". Democratic Progressive Party. Archived from the original on June 28, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080628212429/http://www.dpp.org.tw/news_content.php?sub_menu=43&sn=2652. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
External links
Party political offices New title President of the WUFI
1970–1971Succeeded by
Peng Ming-minCategories:- 1935 births
- Living people
- Democratic Progressive Party Members of the Legislative Yuan
- Members of the 2nd Legislative Yuan
- National Taiwan University alumni
- Taiwan independence activists
- Taiwanese educators
- University of Southern California alumni
- University of Tennessee alumni
- Politicians of the Republic of China on Taiwan from Chiayi County
- Members of the 3rd Legislative Yuan
- Members of the 4th Legislative Yuan
- Members of the 5th Legislative Yuan
- Members of the 6th Legislative Yuan
- Members of the 7th Legislative Yuan
- Chiayi City Members of the Legislative Yuan
- Party List Members of the Legislative Yuan
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