Su Tseng-chang

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Su Tseng-chang
蘇貞昌
Chair of the Democratic Progressive Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 May 2012[1]
Preceded by Tsai Ing-wen
In office
15 February 2005 – 3 December 2005
Preceded by Ker Chien-ming (acting)
Succeeded by Annette Lu (acting)
Premier of the Republic of China
In office
25 January 2006 – 21 May 2007
President Chen Shui-bian
Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen
Preceded by Frank Hsieh
Succeeded by Chang Chun-hsiung
Magistrate of Taipei County
In office
20 December 1997 – 20 May 2004
Preceded by You Ching
Succeeded by Lin Hsi-yao (acting)
Chou Hsi-wei
Magistrate of Pingtung County
In office
20 December 1989 – 20 December 1993
Preceded by Shih Meng-hsiung
Succeeded by Wu Tse-yuan
Personal details
Born (1947-07-28) July 28, 1947
Pingtung, Taiwan
Nationality  Republic of China
Political party Democratic Progressive Party
Spouse(s) Chan Hsiu-ling
Alma mater National Taiwan University (LL.B.)
Profession Lawyer

Su Tseng-chang (Chinese: 蘇貞昌; pinyin: Sū Zhēnchāng; born 28 July 1947) is a Taiwanese politician and the current chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party. Su served as Premier of the Republic of China from 2006 to 2007 and was Chief of Staff to President Chen Shui-bian in 2004.[2]

Su actively campaigned for the Presidential nomination of the DPP, but finished second to Frank Hsieh in the nomination process. Su eventually teamed with Hsieh as the vice presidential nominee in the 2008 election for President; the ticket lost to Kuomintang ticket Ma Ying-jeou and Vincent Siew. He ran for Taipei City Mayor in November 2010, but was defeated by the incumbent Hau Lung-pin by a 12-point margin. Su campaigned for the 2012 presidential candidacy of the DPP in 2011, but lost to Tsai Ing-wen by a very narrow margin. Following the loss of Tsai to Ma Ying-jeou, Su was elected to succeed Tsai as DPP chairman in 2012.

Su, along with politicians Annette Lu, Frank Hsieh and Yu Shyi-kun are collectively known as the "Big Four of the Democratic Progressive Party". Su is nicknamed the "Electric Fireball" (電火球) by the Taiwanese media and DPP voters, a nickname he earned in the 1980s for his charismatic approach to campaigning during election season, in addition to being an affectionate reference to the balding Su.

Personal background

Born in Pingtung, Su studied at the National Taiwan University. During his college years, he was vice captain of the rugby team.[3] He was a practicing lawyer from 1973 to 1983 and became a defense lawyer in the Kaohsiung Incident trials.[2]

He was previously the magistrate of Pingtung County (1989–1993) and magistrate of Taipei County (1997–2004).[2] His first election as the Taipei magistrate was aided by a split between the New Party and the Kuomintang. His subsequent reelection occurred by a wide margin despite the ability of the Pan-Blue Coalition to present a united candidate. He was Secretary-General (Chief of Staff) to the Office of the President of the Republic of China under President Chen Shui-bian (2004–2005). After President Chen resigned as DPP Chairman following the 2004 legislative elections, he was elected the 10th-term DPP Chairman. Following DPP losses in the 2005 municipal elections on December 3, Su announced that he would, pursuant to a pre-election promise, resign from the chairmanship.

Su is married to Chan Hsiu-ling (詹秀齡) with three daughters.[4]

Premiership

The Su Cabinet
Office Name Term
Premier Su Tseng-chang2006–2007
Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen2006–2007
Minister of the Interior Lee Yi-yang2006–2008
Minister of Foreign Affairs James C. F. Huang2006–2008
Minister of National Defense Lee Jye2006–2007
Minister of Finance Joseph Lyu2006–2006
Ho Chih-tsing2006–2008
Minister of Justice Shih Mao-lin2005–2008
Minister of Economic Affairs Morgan Huang2006–2006
Steve Chen2006–2008
Minister of Transportation and Communications Kuo Yao-chi2006–2006
Tsai Duei2006–2008
Minister of Education Tu Cheng-sheng2006–2008

Su was announced as the new Premier on January 19, 2006 and took his oath of office, along with his cabinet, on January 25, 2006. Soon after, Su announced that if the people's welfare (referring to crime and other civil problems) doesn't improve within 6 months, Su himself will step down.[5] The premier's approval ratings, although higher than Chen Shui-bian, have definitely slipped substantially.

Su was a contender for the DPP nomination in the 2008 presidential election.[6][7] He formally announced his candidacy on Feb. 25. In the DPP primary vote on May 6, 2007, Su received 46,994 votes, coming in second to former Premier Frank Hsieh. Conceding defeat in the primary, Su announced that he had withdrawn from the race.[8]

On May 12, 2007, Su submitted his letter of resignation to President Chen Shui-bian, ending his tenure on May 21.[9] With the resignation of Su and with ten months left in Chen's presidency, that would mean Chen's eight years as President will have seen at least six Premiers (with Chang Chun-Hsiung serving two separate tenures).[10] Su also stated that he previously submitted resignations numerous times over his sixteen-month tenure, but all were rejected by President Chen.[11]

2008 presidential campaign

Su ran for Vice President alongside with Frank Hsieh, who was the DPP Nomination. Together, Su and Hsieh ran against Ma and Siew. On March 22, they lost in a landslide to Ma and Siew's 7,659,014 (58.45%) votes with their 5,444,949 (41.55%) votes.

Party Candidate Votes Percentage
President Vice president
Kuomintang Ma Ying-Jeou Vincent Siew 7,659,014 58.45%
Democratic Progressive Party Frank Hsieh Su Tseng-Chang 5,444,949 41.55%
Total 13,103,963 100.00%

2010 Taipei mayoral race

Although he had been considered a strong candidate to helm the newly created New Taipei City.[12] Su announced on March 3, 2010, of his intention to run for the Taipei City Mayor. Su vowed that should he win, he would serve out the entire term (through 2014) effectively ending any talks of a presidential run in 2012. Su eventually lost the race to the incumbent mayor Hau Lung-pin.

2012 presidential bid

Su ran for the 2012 presidential candidacy of the DPP against Tsai Ing-wen and Hsu Hsin-liang, but lost to Tsai Ing-wen by a margin of 1.35 percent.

See also

  • Politics of the Republic of China

References

  1. ↑ http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=191509&ctNode=445
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 About Executive Yuan: Premier, Executive Yuan, Republic of China (Taiwan), Updated 2006-02-24
  3. ↑ "台大橄欖球隊友會蘇貞昌 聊趣事笑料橫生". 
  4. ↑ Huang, Jewel, "Su Tseng-chang enters race for DPP chairman", Taipei Times, 2005-01-01
  5. ↑ Chang, S.C. / CNA, "PREMIER TO QUIT POLITICS IF SOCIAL ORDER NOT IMPROVED WITHIN 6 MONTHS", Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan), 2006-03-15
  6. ↑ CNA, WASHINGTON, "Adviser predicts a Su-Tsai DPP ticket for 2008", Taipei Times, 2006-02-06
  7. ↑ AFP, TAIPEI, "Su Tseng-chang excels at rebounding from defeat", Taipei Times, 2006-01-20
  8. ↑ The China Post, "Frank Hsieh wins DPP Presidential Primary", The China Post, 2007-06-06
  9. ↑
  10. ↑
  11. ↑
  12. ↑ http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1193243

External links

Government offices
Preceded by
Shih Meng-hsiung		 Magistrate of Pingtung County
1989–1993 		Succeeded by
Wu Tse-yuan
Preceded by
You Ching		 Magistrate of Taipei County
1997–2003 		Succeeded by
Lin Si-yao
Preceded by
Frank Hsieh		 Premier of the Republic of China
2006–2007 		Succeeded by
Chang Chun-hsiung
Party political offices
Preceded by
Ker Chien-ming
Acting		 Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party
Acting
2005 		Succeeded by
Annette Lu
Acting
Preceded by
Chen Chu
Acting		 Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party
2012–present 		Incumbent
Chairpersons
Factions
See also
Italic text denotes acting chairpersons
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