James Soong

James Chu-yu Soong (宋楚瑜 Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'u-yü; pinyin: Sòng Chǔyú; born March 16, 1942) is a politician in the Republic of China on Taiwan. He founded and chairs the People First Party, which favors eventual Chinese reunification.

Governorship

In 1994 Soong became first and only directly elected Governor of Taiwan. He was widely perceived to be an excellent campaigner and his excellent showing in the governorship ended hopes by the DPP of a Yeltsin effect, by which an elected governor would have more legitimacy than the national government.

Related Topics:
1994 - Yeltsin

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Despite his Mainlander background, Soong proved to be a popular politician among all ethnic groups on Taiwan, in part because he was one of the first KMT politicians to attempt to use the Taiwanese language in political and formal occasions, despite speaking it rather poorly.

Related Topics:
Mainlander - Taiwanese

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After Premier Lien Chan was elected vice president in 1996, the premiership was to be vacated. Soong felt that as Governor of Taiwan, he was natural successor of Lien, but Lee believed that Soong should serve out his term. Lee appointed Vincent Siew, whom Soong considered a subordinate, and led to their split.

Related Topics:
Lien Chan - Elected vice president in 1996 - Vincent Siew

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The position Governor of Taiwan was eliminated in 1998 following a National Development Council meeting in 1996, when it suggested the administrative structure of the Republic of China government be streamlined. Soong and his supporters believe this to have been a political move done by Lee to cut off Soong's power base, but proponents of the downsizing called it a pragmatic move to eliminate contradictory administrative territory. Soong tendered his resignation on December 31 of the same year, but Lee did not accept.

Related Topics:
1998 - National Development Council - 1996

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