Yao Chia-wen

Yao Chia-wen, LL.M.
Yao Chia-wen in 2007
14th President of the Examination Yuan
In office 21 June 2002 – September 2008[1]
Preceded by	Hsu Shui-teh
Succeeded by	Wu Jin-lin (acting) John Kuan
2nd Chairperson of the DPP
In office December 20, 1987 – October 30, 1988
Preceded by	Chiang Peng-chien
Succeeded by	Huang Shin-chieh
Personal details
Born	(1938-06-15) June 15, 1938 Hemei, Changhua, Taiwan
Nationality	Republic of China
Political party	Democratic Progressive Party
Spouse(s)	Chou Ching-yu
Alma mater	National Taiwan University
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Lawyer

Yao Chia-wen, a Taiwanese politician, is a former President of the Examination Yuan of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). He was the second chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Early life

Born in Hemei, Changhua County, Yao has eleven younger siblings. In 1957, He started working as a clerk in the Bureau of Telecommunications, which is now the Chunghwa Telecom. Yao studied law at the National Taiwan University in Taipei. He passed the bar exam in 1966 and got his master's degree in law two years later.

Yao co-founded the "Legal Advice Center for Citizens"

in 1972 after attending the University of California at Berkeley as a visiting scholar. In 1975, he served as a defense lawyer of Kuo Yu-hsin, an important figure in the Tangwai movement, along with Lin Yi-hsiung.

Yao is married to Chou Ching-yu, who is a former magistrate of Changhua County.

Entry into politics

Yao called for the abolition of the National Assembly in his book Maintaining and Amending the Law

published in 1978. In 1979, Yao was arrested and sentenced to a 12-year prison for his involvement in the Kaohsiung Incident. He served in prison for seven years and became the chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party after he was released. Under his chairmanship, the party adopted the "Program for the Sovereign Independence of Taiwan"

. In 1992, Yao joined the "Welfare State Alliance"

faction of the DPP founded by Frank Hsieh. He was elected a member of the Legislative Yuan the same year, but was not re-elected in 1995.

In 1997, Yao started teaching at National Tsing Hua University as an associate professor. He worked as a lawyer again in 1999, as he ran unsuccessfully for legislator again in 1998. President Chen Shui-bian appointed Yao as one of his Senior Advisors in 2000. Five years later, he was appointed as the President of the Examination Yuan.

Yao was replaced by the Ma Ying-Jeou government in 2008 after Chen Shui-bian's administration expired.

Political ideology

Yao supports the Taiwan independence movement. He was an editor of the Formosa Magazine, which is associated with the Tangwai movement. In 2006, he wrote a book that examines treaties that have strongly influenced the Taiwanese history with a goal to "set the facts straight" as the history of Taiwan is controversial.^[2]

External links

• 10th term President – Examination Yuan

References