Lin Chia-lung (; born 13 February 1964) is a
Taiwanese
Taiwanese may refer to:
* Taiwanese language, another name for Taiwanese Hokkien
* Something from or related to Taiwan ( Formosa)
* Taiwanese aborigines, the indigenous people of Taiwan
* Han Taiwanese, the Han people of Taiwan
* Taiwanese people, ...
academic and
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 ...
(DPP) politician. He was elected mayor of
Taichung City
Taichung (, Wade–Giles: ''Tʻai²-chung¹'', pinyin: ''Táizhōng''), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality located in central Taiwan. Taichung has approximately 2.8 million residents and is the second most populous city of Tai ...
in November 2014 and took office on 25 December 2014. In the early 2000s he served in various capacities in the
ROC Executive Yuan
The Executive Yuan () is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Its leader is the Premier, who is appointed by the President of the Republic of China, and requires confirmation by the Legislative Yuan.
...
under DPP President
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian (; born 12 October 1950) is a retired Taiwanese politician and lawyer who served as the president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) whic ...
.
Background
Lin was born in Taipei City. After graduating from
Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School
Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School (, CKHS; formerly Chien Kuo from the Wade-Giles transliteration) is a public high school for boys located in Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan. The school was established in 1898 during the early years of J ...
, Lin Chia-lung attended
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University (NTU; ) is a public research university in Taipei, Taiwan.
The university was founded in 1928 during Japanese rule as the seventh of the Imperial Universities. It was named Taihoku Imperial University and served d ...
(NTU), where he received his BA (1986) and MA (1988) in political science.
As a student representative at NTU, Lin was active in the NTU Society for the Study of Mainland China (), and a participant in the "Love of Freedom" () campus free speech movement. Lin played a key role in pushing for the direct election of the student council chairman by students, and was responsible for drafting the election plan proposed by students to the campus administration in 1984.
Lin left Taiwan for the United States to attend
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
on a
Fulbright scholarship
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...
from 1991 through 1994. He received master's degrees in philosophy (1992) and political science (1993), as well as a PhD in political science (1998). Returning to Taiwan after graduating from Yale, Lin served on the faculty of the political science department at
National Chung Cheng University
National Chung Cheng University (CCU; ) is a national university in Minxiong Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan. CCU is a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
History
National Chung Cheng University was the first ...
as an assistant professor from 1999 through 2004.
His research interests include the
democratization of Taiwan, as well as the political and economic development of the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, and has written several books on the subjects.
Lin is married to Liao Wan-ju ().
Political career
Lin was appointed as an advisor to the National Security Council in 2000, and to the position of cabinet spokesman in 2003.
Lin represented the government position in a debate against Legislator
Kao Chin Su-mei
Kao Chin Su-mei (born September 21, 1965), also known as Chin Su-mei, May Chin and Ciwas Ali, is a Taiwanese politician and retired actress and singer. She is of Manchu and Atayal descent, Ciwas Ali being her Atayal name.
In the 1980s and 199 ...
, where he argued in favor of arms procurements which would be submitted to
referendum the following year.
Due to his performance as cabinet spokesman, Lin was appointed director of the
Government Information Office
The Government Information Office, Executive Yuan (GIO; ) was a cabinet-level agency of the Executive Yuan of Taiwan (the Republic of China) in charge of promoting government policies and regulating domestic media.
History
In April 1947, the R ...
(GIO) by President
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian (; born 12 October 1950) is a retired Taiwanese politician and lawyer who served as the president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) whic ...
following his reelection in 2004.
In January 2005, Lin authorized a GIO program encouraging donations to provide financial support for orphans of the
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...
.
Controversy over the program later arose in August 2005, five months after Lin had left GIO, surrounding the delay in disbursing NT$400 million in donations to various charities and NGOs. Media reports suggesting that the program had been neglected in the transition between Lin and his successor at GIO, Pasuya Yao were denied by GIO, which promised the funds would be disbursed by September 5.
Lin resigned from his position as GIO director in March 2005 to run as
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 ...
(DPP) candidate for mayor of
Taichung City
Taichung (, Wade–Giles: ''Tʻai²-chung¹'', pinyin: ''Táizhōng''), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality located in central Taiwan. Taichung has approximately 2.8 million residents and is the second most populous city of Tai ...
.
In the
ensuing elections held in December 2005, Lin lost against incumbent Mayor
Jason Hu
Jason Hu (; born 15 May 1948) is a Taiwanese politician. He was the mayor of Taichung as provincial city in 2001-2010 and as special municipality in 2010–2014. He is a member of the Kuomintang (KMT), and has been the Vice Chairman of the pa ...
by 87,075 votes (19.3%).
In 2014 Lin ran again against Hu and won by a landslide margin, over 200,000 votes.
Lin was appointed DPP Secretary-General in January 2006, and Deputy Secretary-General to the President in October 2007.
Mayor of Taichung
2014 Taichung City mayor election
Lin defeated DPP legislator
Tsai Chi-chang
Tsai Chi-chang (; born 16 April 1969) is a Taiwanese politician. He was elected to the Legislative Yuan in Taichung's first constituency in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. He is currently the Deputy Speaker of Legislative Yuan, having served in thi ...
in a public opinion poll that served as the party's primary on 31 December 2013. He was elected as the
Mayor of Taichung
The Mayor of Taichung is the head of the Taichung City Government, Taiwan and is elected to a four-year term. The current mayor is Lu Shiow-yen of the Kuomintang since 25 December 2018.
Titles of the Mayor
List of mayors
This list includes o ...
after winning the
Taichung Mayoralty election on 29 November 2014 defeating incumbent
Jason Hu
Jason Hu (; born 15 May 1948) is a Taiwanese politician. He was the mayor of Taichung as provincial city in 2001-2010 and as special municipality in 2010–2014. He is a member of the Kuomintang (KMT), and has been the Vice Chairman of the pa ...
of 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 ...
.
2018 Taichung City mayor election
Minister of Transportation and Communications
Lin succeeded
Wang Kwo-tsai
Wang Kwo-tsai (; born 1959) is a Taiwanese politician. He is the incumbent Ministry of Transportation and Communications (Taiwan), Minister of Transportation and Communications. He had also served as the Ministry of Transportation and Communicat ...
on 14 January 2019 who was acting Minister of
Transportation and Communications. He resigned on 4 April 2021 in the aftermath of the
Hualien train derailment
On 2 April 2021, at 09:28 NST (01:28 UTC), a ''Taroko Express'' train operated by the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) derailed at the north entrance of Qingshui Tunnel in Heren Section, Xiulin Township, Hualien County, Taiwan, ...
which killed at least 49 people, stating that he would take full political responsibility for the crash and will leave once the rescue work ends.
Later political career
After decided not to contest the New Taipei mayoralty in July 2022, the Democratic Progressive Party selected Lin as its candidate for the post.
[ Republished as: ]
References
External links
Official biography*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lin, Chia-lung
1964 births
Living people
Democratic Progressive Party (Taiwan) politicians
National Taiwan University alumni
Politicians of the Republic of China on Taiwan from Taipei
Taiwanese political scientists
Taiwanese Ministers of Transportation and Communications
Yale University alumni
Mayors of Taichung
Members of the 8th Legislative Yuan
Fulbright alumni