Tsai Ing-wen, as President of the Republic of China (also known as Taiwan), is both the head of state and the supreme commander of the armed forces. Their country is claimed by Beijing as a breakaway province.
Taipei/Munich – On January 11, 2020, Tsai Ing-wen was confidently confirmed in office as President of the Republic of China (Taiwan). With 57.13 percent of the votes cast, she took office for the second time after the first election in 2016. In her second term of office, the focus continues to be on gaining strength vis-à-vis the People’s Republic of China. Information about the only woman in this high office on the democratically governed island. Her priorities in Tsai’s second term include research, green energy and the greatest possible economic independence from mainland China.
The lawyer and former leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was first elected to the presidency in 2016. The DPP stems from the island’s independence movement, but has become increasingly pragmatic as its political success has grown. The DPP accepts the status quo after Taiwan goes its own way, but is only recognized diplomatically by very few countries. Tsai has always rejected calls from his own camp for a declaration of independence.
Contrary to the traditional image of women, Tsai Ing-wen is single and has no children. For this, she has repeatedly experienced unobjective criticism in her career.
Tsai Ing-wen: Taiwan’s Extraordinary President
The 64-year-old President has an amazing career and international experience. After successfully completing his law studies at the National University of Taiwan in 1978, he received his master’s degree from Cornell University in the USA in 1980. She received her PhD from the London School of Economies and Political Science in 1984.
She eventually returned to Taiwan to teach law at Soochow University and National Chengchi University. As early as 1993, she held her first important post in politics, as an adviser to the then President.
In 2019, the President initiated legal action against two scientists who publicly questioned the legitimacy of their doctoral thesis. However, the University of London rejected the objection to the authenticity of the doctorate.
President Tsai Ing-wen: Curriculum vitae, career, age, origin
Tsai Ing-wen was born on August 15, 1956 in the island’s capital, Taipei, and grew up with eight siblings in a wealthy business family. This belongs to the Hakka ethnic minority, which have traditionally settled on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and have their own culture and language. The law professor spent her childhood on the coast of southern Taiwan.
Tsai Ing-wen’s educational and career path:
- 1962-1965 Taipei Municipal Changan Elementary School
- 1968 – 1971 Bei’an Junior High School
- 1971-1974 Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School
- 1978 Law degree from National University of Taiwan
- 1980 Master of Laws Cornell University (USA)
- Chair at Soochow University and Chengchi National University
- 1993 Advisor to the then President
- 2000 Non-Party Minister for Mainland Affairs
- 2004 Members of the Legislative Yuan (legislature/parliament)
- Deputy Prime Minister
- 2008 President of the DPP
- 2016 at the second attempt first female president
- 2020 re-election of the 64-year-old with a lead of around 20%
Tsai Ing-wen: The President, her questioned thesis and the call for help via CNN
Due to the difficult geopolitical situation, Taiwan’s presidents are always careful not to provoke unnecessary conflicts with Beijing. At the same time, Taipei is always in contact with the West, especially the US, which has been supplying Taiwan with weapons for many years so that the island can defend itself in the event of an attack.
Under Tsai, Taiwan strengthened ties with the West. In 2016, for example, she telephoned then-US President Donald Trump – the first official contact between Taipei and Washington since 1976, which led to angry reactions from Beijing. But Tsai managed to persuade Trump to significantly increase arms sales to Taiwan. However, on the basis of the “one China principle”, Beijing is still enforcing that hardly any country in the world recognizes Taiwan as independent.
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