Li Mei-jhen (; born 21 March 1979), also known as Jane Lee, is a Taiwanese politician. Li was born on 21 March 1979. She attended

Cheng Shiu University Cheng Shiu University (CSU; ) is a private university located in Niaosong District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History Established in 1965, it was founded by three friends, Lee Cheng-Sheng (李金盛), Gong Junke, and Zheng Junyuan. It was initially ...

and completed a master's degree from the Institute of Mainland Chinese Studies at

National Sun Yat-sen University National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU; ) is a public research-intensive university renowned as an official think tank scholars' community, located in Sizihwan, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. NSYSU is listed as one of six national research universities, ...

(NSYSU). Li Mei-jhen then worked for her father while he served on the

Kaohsiung City Council Kaohsiung City Council () is the city council of Kaohsiung City, Republic of China. It is currently composed of 65 councilors, each serving a four-year term, elected using the single non-transferable vote system. Speaker and deputy speaker of ...

. Li sought the

Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...

nomination for a seat on the Kaohsiung City Council in 2010, and succeeded her father in office. She represented

Nanzih Nanzih District, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (also spelled Nanzi; ) is a district located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. It was the northernmost district of Kaohsiung City until Kaohsiung County was merged into the municipa ...

and Zuoying Districts.

2020 Kaohsiung mayoral by-election

In June 2020, the Kuomintang selected Li as its candidate for the 2020 Kaohsiung mayoral by-election. A number of party members considered the nomination process that led to Li's selection chaotic, and raised the potential for vote splitting following Wu Yi-jheng's entry into the race. On 22 July 2020, NSYSU stated that it had begun that Li had plagiarized her master's degree thesis. On 23 July, Li apologized for the controversy and announced that she was "renouncing" her master's degree. NSYSU responded that the Degree Conferral Act (學位授予法) had no guidelines for allowing alumni to renounce their degrees and it would continue the investigation. The Kuomintang stated on 25 July that it would continue to support Li's candidacy. On 15 August 2020, Li conceded the by-election to

Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...

candidate

Chen Chi-mai Chen Chi-mai (; born December 23, 1964) is a Taiwanese politician and the current Mayor of Kaoshiung since August 24, 2020. He has served as spokesperson of the Democratic Progressive Party and the chief executive officer of its Policy Research ...

, congratulated him on his victory, and expressed further commitment to her post as councilor. On 19 August 2020, NSYSU confirmed that Li Mei-jhen's degree thesis involved plagiarism, and an academic ethics committee unanimously voted to revoke her degree. Li's degree was formally revoked on 13 October 2020.

References

1979 births Living people 21st-century Taiwanese women politicians 21st-century Taiwanese politicians Kaohsiung City Councilors Kuomintang politicians in Taiwan Cheng Shiu University alumni People involved in plagiarism controversies National Sun Yat-sen University alumni {{Taiwan-KMT-politician-stub