Chai Trong-rong

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Chai.
Tsai Trong-rong, Ph.D.
Chai Trong-rong

Tsai Trong-rong at 2008 CIPFG Global Human Rights Torch Relay in Taiwan
In office
1970 – 1971
Succeeded by Peng Ming-min
Born June 13, 1935 (1935-06-13) (age 72)
Chiayi, Taiwan
Political party Democratic Progressive Party
Alma mater National Taiwan University
University of Tennessee
University of Southern California
Occupation Politician

Chai Trong-rong (traditional Chinese: 蔡同榮; pinyin: Cài Tóngróng; Wade-Giles: Ts'ài T'úng-júng; born June 13, 1935), sometimes known in English as Trong Chai, is a Taiwanese politician. He is currently a member of the Legislative Yuan.

Contents

[edit] Early life

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 World War II, his father served as member of the Chiayi County council for two terms.

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 laws 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. 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]

Chai continued studying and attended the University of Southern California, earning his doctorate degree in 1969. He 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. In 1986, Chai became a professor at the City University of New York.[2]

[edit] Rise in politics

Chai returned to Taiwan to "attend 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 (公民投票促進會) in November.[1]

Chai was elected a Chiayi City legislator 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 his term, he advocated the desinicization campaign of the Chen Shui-bian administration. In 2005, he urged the Ministry of Education to get rid of contexts of "aboveboard Chinese" (堂堂正正的中國人) from the back cover of elementary school workbooks.[3] 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."[4][5]

[edit] 2006 chairmanship campaign

Main article: Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship election, 2006

Despite 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.[6]

Chai was one of the three candidates that 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 only got 36%.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c 蔡同榮——“蔡公投”. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
  2. ^ a b 立法委員蔡同榮自傳. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
  3. ^ 作業簿標語 立委促正名. Liberty Times. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
  4. ^ 反制中國 立委擬反併吞法草案. Liberty Times. Retrieved on 2008-03-29.
  5. ^ 與彼岸鬥法 泛綠紛提案. Liberty Times. Retrieved on 2008-03-29.
  6. ^ Lu confirms she won't run for post. Taipei Times. Retrieved on 2008-03-29.
  7. ^ Yu Shyi-kun wins DPP Chair election. Democratic Progressive Party. Retrieved on 2008-03-29.

[edit] External links

Party political offices
New title President of the WUFI
1970 – 1971		 Succeeded by
Peng Ming-min
Languages