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Lai Ching-te
President of the Republic of China since 2024 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lai Ching-te (Chinese: 賴清德; pinyin: Lài Qīngdé; born 6 October 1959) is a Taiwanese politician, physician, and nephrologist who has served as the eighth president of the Republic of China since 2024. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), he has been the party's chairman since 2023.
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Lai was born in Taipei County to a working-class family. He studied medicine at National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, and, in 2003, earned his master's degree from Harvard University in public health. After practicing medicine as a spinal cord injury expert, Lai ran in the 1996 Legislative Yuan election, winning a seat representing Tainan City. After being re-elected to the Legislative Yuan four consecutive times, he successfully ran for Mayor of Tainan in 2010 and served as mayor for seven years, winning reelection in 2014. In September 2017, President Tsai Ing-wen announced Lai would replace outgoing premier Lin Chuan.[1]
On 24 November 2018, Lai announced his intention to resign from the premiership after the Democratic Progressive Party suffered a major defeat in local elections, and left office on 14 January 2019 after the swearing-in of his successor Su Tseng-chang. Lai mounted an unsuccessful challenge against Tsai Ing-wen in the 2019 Democratic Progressive Party presidential primary, then served as her running mate in the 2020 Taiwan presidential election. In April 2023, Lai was nominated by the DPP as their presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election and was elected with 40.05% of votes. He took office as president on 20 May 2024.
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Early life and education
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Lai was born on 6 October 1959,[2] in Wanli, a rural coastal town in northern Taipei County (now New Taipei City).[3] He was the youngest child in a poor family of five children.[4] His mother, Lai Tong-hao (賴童好), was the daughter of a local landlord. His father, Lai Chao-chin (賴朝金), was a poor coal miner whose parents immigrated from Gukeng, Yunlin.[5] Their ancestral home was in Banzai, Fujian.[6] When Lai was two years old,[7] his father died of carbon monoxide poisoning[8] in a mining accident.[9] Afterwards, Lai's widowed mother raised him and his siblings as a single parent in a two-story dwelling.[3]
Lai attended Wanli Junior High School, a new junior high in New Taipei City, and became its first pupil to gain admission to Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School (CKHS), the city's top senior high school for boys. After graduating from Chien Kuo in 1979, he enrolled at National Taiwan University to study veterinary medicine. Because he intended to enter medical school, he later transferred departments to study physical medicine and rehabilitation at the university and graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in 1984.[10][11] As an undergraduate, Lai defrayed his college expenses by working as a private tutor.[10]
After college, Lai enlisted in the Republic of China Army and served on an outlying island in Kinmen County, where he was the platoon leader of a medical battalion. He was recognized by general Song Hsin-lien for outstanding leadership during his service years and was honorably discharged.[12][13] He then attended medical school at National Cheng Kung University, where studied under health director Lee Bo-chang.[14] He received a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)[15] from the post-baccalaureate medical education department in 1989.[2]
While serving as a legislator, Lai applied to and was admitted by Harvard University to pursue graduate studies in public health.[16] From 2000 to 2003, he attended the Harvard School of Public Health during legislative recesses, earning his Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) in 2003.[17] His classmates at Harvard included future Tainan mayor Huang Wei-che.[18] During his time studying in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Lai often spectated baseball games at Fenway Stadium; after the recruitment of Chien-Ming Wang, he became a fan of the New York Yankees.[19] In 2004, he was a visiting scholar at the U.S. Department of State.[20]
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Medical career
After graduating from medical school, Lai interned at National Cheng Kung University Hospital and became a resident physician there.[21] He earned two specialist medical licenses: one in internal medicine and another in nephrology.[22] His main field of study was spinal cord damage; he was a national consultant for such injuries.[21][23]
Lai was the chief physician in nephrology at both National Cheng Kung University Hospital and at Sin-lau Hospital (新樓醫院), a hospital of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan,[21] from 1989 to 1994.[2]
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Legislative career
After serving as part of the support team for Chen Ding-nan's unsuccessful electoral bid for Governor of Taiwan Province in 1994,[24] Lai decided to enter politics and leave his medical career.[25] The next opportunity for election to a national body was the 1996 National Assembly, with Lai winning a seat representing Tainan City. Lai then joined the New Tide faction and stood as a candidate in the 1998 Legislative Yuan election, representing the Democratic Progressive Party in the second ward of Tainan City.[26][21] He was successful in this election, and subsequently was reelected three times in 2001, 2004, and 2008. In total he served 11 years as a legislator, and was selected as Taiwan's "Best Legislator" four times in a row by Taipei-based NGO Citizen Congress Watch.[27]
Mayor of Tainan (2010–2017)
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With the 2010 reorganization of the municipalities in Taiwan, Tainan City and Tainan County were amalgamated into a single municipality, called Tainan. After successfully being selected in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) primaries in January 2010,[28] Lai stood as the DPP candidate for the mayoral election on 27 November 2010, gaining 60.41% to defeat Kuomintang candidate Kuo Tien-tsai.[29][30] He took office on 25 December 2010.
As a result of his strong showing in the mayoral election coupled with his relative youth and his control of the DPP heartland city of Tainan, Lai was considered to be a potential candidate for a presidential run in 2016.[31] In 2013 an opinion poll ranked Lai as the most popular of the 22 city and county heads in Taiwan, with an approval rating of 87%.[32]
Lai made on 5 June 2014 a visit to the city of Shanghai to assist an exhibition of art by the late Taiwanese painter Tan Ting-pho and met politicians of the Chinese Communist Party.[33][34]
Lai stood for reelection on 29 November 2014 against Huang Hsiu-shuang of the Kuomintang. His opponent was considered to have such an uphill task in the DPP stronghold that she rode a black horse through the streets of Tainan as an election stunt; a hopeful allusion to her status as a "dark horse".[35] Lai, on the other hand, did not plan many campaign activities, choosing to focus on mayoral duties.[36] He eventually won the election by 45 percentage points,[37][38] the largest margin of victory in any of the municipal races in the election.[39]
Lai stepped down as Mayor in September 2017, after being appointed to the Premiership.[40] He was succeeded in acting capacity by Lee Meng-yen.[41][42]
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Premiership (2017–2019)
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In September 2017, Premier Lin Chuan tendered his resignation to President Tsai Ing-wen, which was reluctantly accepted. A recent poll showed Lin's approval rating to be a mere 28.7%, with 6 in 10 respondents dissatisfied with the performance of his cabinet.[43] On 5 September, President Tsai announced at a press conference that Lai would become the country's next head of the Executive Yuan.[44]
Lai took office on 8 September as the 49th Premier of Taiwan.[45] Following Lai's appointment as premier, Tsai's approval ratings reached 46%, rebounding by more than 16 points since August.[46] Lai made his first appearance as premier at the Legislative Yuan on 26 September, where he stated "I am a political worker who advocates Taiwan independence" but that "We are already an independent sovereign nation called the Republic of China. We don't need a separate declaration of independence".[47][48] Lai has appeared to have moderated his position on Taiwanese independence particularly when he proposed the idea of "being close to China while loving Taiwan" in June 2017.[49] He also expressed no desire to run against Tsai Ing-wen in the 2020 presidential election.[50] On 28 September, the New Party called on the KMT to join it in filing a formal complaint against the Premier for sedition.[51]
In October 2017, it was reported that Lai had garnered the approval of 68.8 percent of respondents in a survey, while 23 percent expressed dissatisfaction.[52] However, critics say that his popularity may not last, due to his rapid reversal of his position on the issue of Taiwanese independence.[53] However, on 20 October, in response to General Secretary Xi Jinping's comments on the one China policy and the 1992 consensus at the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, Lai said that the Taiwanese government, following the directives of Tsai Ing-wen, would fulfill its promise of not changing the status quo between the two neighbors and not ceding before pressure from Beijing, which comes in the form of military intimidation and an international blockade.[54]
In November 2018, Lai tendered his resignation to the president, after the ruling DPP performed poorly in local elections.[55] Lai agreed to remain in office to help stabilize the government until the general budget was cleared by the Legislative Yuan in January 2019.[56][57] Lai's cabinet resigned on 11 January 2019 and Su Tseng-chang was appointed as new premier.[58][59]
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First presidential campaign (2019)
On 18 March 2019, William Lai registered to run in the Democratic Progressive Party presidential primary, saying that he could shoulder the responsibility of leading Taiwan in defending itself from being annexed by China.[60] This is the first time in Taiwanese history where a serious primary challenge has been mounted against a sitting president.[61] The results of the DPP's primary poll released on 13 June shown that Tsai defeated Lai by winning 35.67 percent of the vote over Lai's 27.48 percent, officially becoming the DPP's presidential candidate for the 2020 election.[62]
In November 2019, Lai accepted President Tsai's offer to become her running mate for the 2020 presidential election.[63][64][65] Tsai secured over 57% of the ballot, winning a record 8.17 million votes in the election and began her second term in 2020.[66][67]
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Vice presidency (2020–2024)
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During his vice presidency, Lai served as President Tsai Ing-wen's special envoy to Honduras for president Xiomara Castro's inauguration in January 2022.[68] After the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, he made a private trip to Tokyo to pay his respects and became Taiwan's most senior official to visit Japan in five decades.[69] In November 2022, Lai led representatives of Taiwan's travel agencies and industry associations to Palau to foster collaborations between the two countries.[70]
In November 2022, President Tsai resigned as leader of DPP after the party's heavy losses in local elections.[71] Lai officially registered as a candidate for the DPP chair election in December.[72] Since Lai was the only candidate running, he became the new chairman of the DPP in 2023.[73][74]
2024 presidential campaign
In March 2023, Lai registered as the only person to run in the DPP's 2024 presidential primary and was officially nominated by the ruling party in April.[75][76] On 21 November 2023, Lai formally registered his campaign at the Central Election Commission along with his running mate, Louise Hsiao.[77] Lai claimed victory in a three-way race on 13 January 2024, marking the first time that a political party had won three consecutive presidential terms since direct elections were first held in 1996.[78] However, the DPP lost its majority in the legislative election.[79]
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Presidency (2024–present)
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On 13 January 2024, Lai Ching-te was elected president of the Republic of China with approximately 40% of the vote,[80] and was inaugurated on 20 May 2024.[81] Lai appointed Cho Jung-tai, ruling party's former chairman, as new premier.[82] In the parliamentary election his party DPP secured 51 seats while the two opposition parties KMT and TPP won 52 and 8 respectively, resulting in a minority government.[83]
Internal affairs
In May 2024, the KMT-TPP coalition passed parliamentary bills strengthening parliamentary power in investigation and review, sparking strong opposition from the DPP and massive protests by DPP supporters. Lai subsequently filed a constitutional challenge which the court later upheld in June, declaring the bills unconstitutional.[84]
In September, Ko Wen-je the leader of the TPP was arrested and investigated for bribery allegations, which was claimed as political persecution by TPP and divided public opinion in Taiwan.[85] Huang Kuo-chang then became the new TPP leader and continued to strengthen collaboration with the KMT, including the revisions to the Constitutional Interpretation Act, the Election and Recall Act and the Budget Act, further restricting government power.[86] Following the expiration of seven justices' terms in late 2024, the Constitutional Court entered a period of functional paralysis after the Legislative Yuan rejected President Lai's new nominees.[87][88]
In early to mid-2025, the DPP, led by Lai, supported the 2025 Taiwanese mass electoral recall campaigns, which eventually failed to recall any opposition party legislators, despite initial optimism among DPP supporters.[89][90] Lai's disapproval rating began to surpass his approval rating.[91][92]
His government also banned Taiwanese people from using the Chinese social media app Rednote, which was used by 29% of the population, due to a fraud risk, leading to disapproval over the ban.[93][94]
In December, Premier Cho started selectively refusing to enforce laws passed by the Legislative Yuan, while Lai accused the opposition parties of abusing legislative power akin to a "dictatorship".[95][96] Previously, opposition parties passed many controversial bills, some of which paralysed Taiwan’s Constitutional Court and caused the constitutional crisis.[97]
This was the first constitutional precedent in the constitutional history of Taiwan and faced strong opposition from KMT and TPP.[98] Opposition parties criticized Lai's governance by comparing him to Yuan Shikai, a historical figure associated with autocratic rule, and subsequently announced their intention to initiate impeachment proceedings against him in the Legislative Yuan.[99][100]
Foreign relations
Under Lai, Taiwan continued the previous administration's New Southbound Policy, signing an investment pact with Thailand in June 2024. Thailand became the fifth trading partner to sign an investment agreement with Taiwan since the announcement of the policy in 2016.[101] Facing the Trump administration's imposition of tariffs on Taiwan under the banner of "reciprocal tariffs," Lai announced plans to increase procurement from and investment in the United States, in addition to eliminating trade barriers.[102][103]
Lai stated that the ROC and the PRC are not subordinate to each other.[104] He reaffirmed the island's commitment to resisting PRC's annexation, emphasizing its sovereignty during National Day celebrations. He also expressed hopes for dialogue with Beijing, despite ongoing military pressure and tensions.[105][106] In 2025, Lai announced plans to reinstate military trials for active-duty personnel and labeled the PRC a "foreign hostile force" under the Anti-Infiltration Act.[107][108]
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Political views
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Previously, Lai was viewed as a "deep green" member of the DPP, advocating for Taiwanese independence.[109] As the mayor of Tainan, Lai called himself a "pragmatic worker for Taiwanese independence" and argued it was possible to "love Taiwan while having an affinity to China".[110][111] He has since moderated his position, saying that there was no need to declare independence as "Taiwan is already a sovereign, independent country called the Republic of China."[112]
When Lai was elected vice president in 2020, he stated that while the ROC was founded in 1912, that version of the state "no longer exists"; he argued that through more than a century of history, the ROC has been "reborn in Taiwan."[113] During his 2024 presidential campaign, Lai characterized the ROC Constitution as a "disaster" when used as a "shield" for the "One China" principle, a remark he later clarified was directed at the interpretation of the document rather than the document itself.[114] As president, Lai has asserted that the representatives who drafted the original ROC Constitution were not chosen through a popular vote by the people of Taiwan; he maintains that it was not until the seven subsequent constitutional amendments that the Taiwanese people became the primary subjects of the constitutional framework.[115] Lai treats "Republic of China," "Taiwan," and "Republic of China Taiwan" as interchangeable names for the nation.[116]
After his inauguration as president, Lai has consistently maintained that the ROC and the PRC are "not subordinate to each other." At a 2024 National Day event, he introduced what media termed the "Motherland Theory," arguing that because the ROC was founded in 1912 and the PRC in 1949, the PRC cannot logically be the motherland of the older ROC's citizens.[104] He labeled the PRC a "foreign hostile force,"[108] claiming that a real advocate of the ROC must oppose the Chinese Communist Party, and a real advocate of Taiwan must safeguard Taiwan.[117]
Lai advocates strengthening Taiwan's relations with the United States and other liberal democracies.[118]
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Personal life
Lai married Wu Mei-ju in 1986. Wu worked for Taipower, and was based in Tainan until Lai was elected mayor of the city, and she transferred to Kaohsiung.[119][120] The couple raised two sons.[121]
Lai′s first grandson was born in the United States in 2020.[122]
Honors
Taiwan:
Order of Dr. Sun Yat-sen with Grand Cordon (As president)
Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon[123] (As President)
Grand Cordon of the Order of Brilliant Jade (As President)
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See also
Notes
References
External links
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