Chen Chu
Encyclopedia
Chen Chu is a Taiwanese
politician who is the current mayor of Kaohsiung. She was one of the "Kaohsiung Eight," prominent dissidents arrested after the Kaohsiung Incident
in 1979. She spent six years in jail during the martial law
period in Taiwan.
Chen, who holds a master's degree from National Sun Yat-sen University
, held senior appointed posts in Taipei
City and Kaohsiung City governments between 1995 and 2000. She then served as minister of the Council of Labor Affairs
between 2000 and 2005.
In 2006, Chen Chu won the Kaohsiung
mayoral elections and became the city's first elected female mayor. She was re-elected in 2010 with 52% of the vote in a three-way race.
On 30 August 2009, The 14th Dalai Lama
accepted an invitation from Chen Chu to visit Taiwan
.
Chen is single, and has never married.
over Kuomintang
(KMT) candidate Huang Jun-ying (黃俊英) by just 1,120 votes. Huang filed two lawsuits against Chen's camp, asking the court to annul Chen's victory. He argued that the airing of a video on the eve of the election resulted in his loss. The Kaohsiung District Court ruled in favor of Huang Jun-ying in one of the cases, thereby nullifying the elections.
Soon after hearing the news, Chen expressed that she would appeal the case. She said that if she accepted the ruling, it would be political suicide. While her DPP colleague and legislator Kuan Bi-ling
advised Chen to give up the appeal and allow a by-election, Chen nonetheless appealed the case. Some wondered if Kuan, who lost to Chen in the primaries, made the remark out of personal interest.
The High Court overturned the earlier decision and validated Chen's election victory on 17 November 2007. In December 2007, after her mayoralty was proven indisputable, she announced that her new goal is to focus on improving the city's transportation, public construction, and environmental protection
.
In April 2009, mayor Chen promised to improve the water quality of Chienchen River, a river that the locals called "Heilungchiang
" . She said that NT$
120 million (approximately US$
3.6 million) will be spent to complete the task. She vowed to make Kaohsiung a city that is not just notable for the cleanliness of its Love River
.
. Chen Chu visited the People's Republic of China (commonly known as "China") to promote the Games. During a meeting with Beijing mayor Guo Jinlong
, Chen addressed President Ma Ying-jeou
with his formal title, which garnered much support from the DPP and the Kaohsiung City legislature. Chen's trip to China was criticized by several localization activist groups
including the Taiwan Solidarity Union
. However, Chen said that the trip was intended to benefit Kaohsiung. During her trip, she met with not only the mayor of Beijing, but also Shanghai mayor Han Zheng
and Chinese Olympic Committee
chairman Liu Pong.
The main venue for the Games, the World Games Stadium
, was designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito
. The groundbreaking and completion of the stadium both occurred during Chen's term as mayor.
The closing ceremony was held at the sold-out World Games Stadium, where International World Games Association
President Ron Froehlich called it a "fantastic success" and declared it the "best ever." Kaohsiung's tourism bureau announced that the Games generated almost US$61 million in revenue for the city. The city's department stores reported a 15 percent growth in sales. Mayor Chen said that Kaohsiung would no longer be known only as the second largest city in Taiwan, but also as the city that hosted the best World Games ever.
Chen tearfully admitted to napping and to feeling guilty for taking a rest. She also stressed that she returned home to change her wet clothes and was also keeping a close eye on the storm. Critics called for Chen to resign from her post, and compared Chen's napping to former Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan
's getting a haircut and former Executive Yuan Secretary-General Hsieh Hsiang-chuan's attending a Father's Day dinner during August 2009's Typhoon Morakot.
Chen Chu and the City Government were sued by Benhe borough (本和里) chief Lin Chi-mei (林紀美), a fellow DPP member, in the aftermath of the flooding, alleging that the city government did not maintain proper facilities that might have prevented flooding.
Taiwanese people
Taiwanese people may refer to individuals who either claim or are imputed cultural identity focused on the island of Taiwan and/or Taiwan Area which have been governed by the Republic of China since 1945...
politician who is the current mayor of Kaohsiung. She was one of the "Kaohsiung Eight," prominent dissidents arrested after the Kaohsiung Incident
Kaohsiung Incident
The Kaohsiung Incident also known as the Formosa Incident, the Meilidao Incident or the Formosa Magazine incident was the result of pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on December 10, 1979....
in 1979. She spent six years in jail during the martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
period in Taiwan.
Chen, who holds a master's degree from National Sun Yat-sen University
National Sun Yat-sen University
The National Sun Yat-sen University is a public university located in Kaohsiung, Republic of China . The university is known as NSYSU ....
, held senior appointed posts in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
City and Kaohsiung City governments between 1995 and 2000. She then served as minister of the Council of Labor Affairs
Council of Labor Affairs
The Council of Labor Affairs , established in 1987, is a cabinet-level unit under the Executive Yuan.- List of ministers :* Cheng Shuei-chih * Chao Shou-po * Hsieh Shen-shan * Hsu Chieh-kuei * Chan Huo-shen...
between 2000 and 2005.
In 2006, Chen Chu won the Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
mayoral elections and became the city's first elected female mayor. She was re-elected in 2010 with 52% of the vote in a three-way race.
On 30 August 2009, The 14th Dalai Lama
14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are the most influential figures in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, although the 14th has consolidated control over the other lineages in recent years...
accepted an invitation from Chen Chu to visit Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Chen is single, and has never married.
Kaohsiung mayoralty
Chen narrowly won the 2006 Kaohsiung mayoral electionsRepublic of China municipal elections, 2006
The Republic of China municipal elections of 2006, or more commonly known as the Taipei and Kaohsiung elections of 2006 , was held on Saturday, December 9, 2006, to elect the municipal mayors and municipal councilmen of the two special-municipalities administered directly under the central...
over Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
(KMT) candidate Huang Jun-ying (黃俊英) by just 1,120 votes. Huang filed two lawsuits against Chen's camp, asking the court to annul Chen's victory. He argued that the airing of a video on the eve of the election resulted in his loss. The Kaohsiung District Court ruled in favor of Huang Jun-ying in one of the cases, thereby nullifying the elections.
Soon after hearing the news, Chen expressed that she would appeal the case. She said that if she accepted the ruling, it would be political suicide. While her DPP colleague and legislator Kuan Bi-ling
Kuan Bi-ling
Kuan Bi-ling is a female politician of the Republic of China . She is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party...
advised Chen to give up the appeal and allow a by-election, Chen nonetheless appealed the case. Some wondered if Kuan, who lost to Chen in the primaries, made the remark out of personal interest.
The High Court overturned the earlier decision and validated Chen's election victory on 17 November 2007. In December 2007, after her mayoralty was proven indisputable, she announced that her new goal is to focus on improving the city's transportation, public construction, and environmental protection
Environmental protection
Environmental protection is a practice of protecting the environment, on individual, organizational or governmental level, for the benefit of the natural environment and humans. Due to the pressures of population and our technology the biophysical environment is being degraded, sometimes permanently...
.
In April 2009, mayor Chen promised to improve the water quality of Chienchen River, a river that the locals called "Heilungchiang
Heilongjiang
For the river known in Mandarin as Heilong Jiang, see Amur River' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. "Heilongjiang" literally means Black Dragon River, which is the Chinese name for the Amur. The one-character abbreviation is 黑...
" . She said that NT$
New Taiwan dollar
The New Taiwan dollar , or simply Taiwan dollar, is the official currency of the Taiwan Area of the Republic of China since 1949, when it replaced the Old Taiwan dollar...
120 million (approximately US$
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
3.6 million) will be spent to complete the task. She vowed to make Kaohsiung a city that is not just notable for the cleanliness of its Love River
Love River
The Love River or Ai River is a river in southern Taiwan. It originates in Renwu District, Kaohsiung City, and flows through Kaohsiung to Kaohsiung Harbor. Love River is the spine of Kaohsiung, playing a similar role to the River Thames of London. It is of great cultural significance to the...
.
World Games 2009
Kaohsiung was the host city of World Games 2009World Games 2009
The World Games of 2009 took place in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, from July 16, 2009 to July 26, 2009. The games featured sports that are not contested in the Olympic Games....
. Chen Chu visited the People's Republic of China (commonly known as "China") to promote the Games. During a meeting with Beijing mayor Guo Jinlong
Guo Jinlong
Guo Jinlong is a politician of the People's Republic of China and Mayor of Beijing.- Biography :He graduated from Nanjing University Department of Physics in 1969 and joined the Communist Party of China in 1979, and was sent to work in Sichuan....
, Chen addressed President Ma Ying-jeou
Ma Ying-jeou
Ma Ying-jeou is the 12th term and current President of the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, and the Chairman of the Kuomintang Party, also known as the Chinese Nationalist Party. He formerly served as Justice Minister from 1993 to 1996, Mayor of Taipei from 1998 to 2006, and Chairman...
with his formal title, which garnered much support from the DPP and the Kaohsiung City legislature. Chen's trip to China was criticized by several localization activist groups
Taiwanization
Taiwanization , also known as the Taiwanese localization movement, is a political term used in Taiwan to emphasize the importance of a separate Taiwanese culture rather than to regard Taiwan as solely an appendage of China...
including the Taiwan Solidarity Union
Taiwan Solidarity Union
The Taiwan Solidarity Union is a political party in the Republic of China which advocates Taiwan independence. It was officially founded on July 24, 2001 and is considered part of the Pan-Green Coalition. Unlike the Democratic Progressive Party, its larger companion party in the Pan-Green...
. However, Chen said that the trip was intended to benefit Kaohsiung. During her trip, she met with not only the mayor of Beijing, but also Shanghai mayor Han Zheng
Han Zheng
Han Zheng is the current mayor of Shanghai, the 13th to serve in the position since the founding of the People's Republic of China...
and Chinese Olympic Committee
Chinese Olympic Committee
Chinese Olympic Committee represents the People's Republic of China in international affairs related to the Olympic Movement.-Timeline concerning Olympic recognition:...
chairman Liu Pong.
The main venue for the Games, the World Games Stadium
World Games Stadium
National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is currently the largest stadium in Taiwan in terms of capacity.Completed in 2009, it will be used mostly for athletics and rugby events, including hosting the main events for the 2009 World Games. The stadium will have a...
, was designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito
Toyo Ito
is a Japanese architect known for creating conceptual architecture, in which he seeks to simultaneously express the physical and virtual worlds. He is a leading exponent of architecture that addresses the contemporary notion of a "simulated" city, and has been called "one of the world's most...
. The groundbreaking and completion of the stadium both occurred during Chen's term as mayor.
The closing ceremony was held at the sold-out World Games Stadium, where International World Games Association
International World Games Association
The International World Games Association is an international association, recognized by the IOC, that organizes every four years since 1981 the multi-sport event called the World Games.-Member federations:...
President Ron Froehlich called it a "fantastic success" and declared it the "best ever." Kaohsiung's tourism bureau announced that the Games generated almost US$61 million in revenue for the city. The city's department stores reported a 15 percent growth in sales. Mayor Chen said that Kaohsiung would no longer be known only as the second largest city in Taiwan, but also as the city that hosted the best World Games ever.
Typhoon Fanapi
Chen Chu was criticized for napping in her residence while parts of Kaohsiung flooded when Typhoon Fanapi ripped through Taiwan on 19 September 2010.Chen tearfully admitted to napping and to feeling guilty for taking a rest. She also stressed that she returned home to change her wet clothes and was also keeping a close eye on the storm. Critics called for Chen to resign from her post, and compared Chen's napping to former Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan
Liu Chao-shiuan
Liu Chao-shiuan is a Taiwanese educator and politician. He is a former president of the National Tsing Hua University and Soochow University and a former Premier of the Republic of China.-Biography:...
's getting a haircut and former Executive Yuan Secretary-General Hsieh Hsiang-chuan's attending a Father's Day dinner during August 2009's Typhoon Morakot.
Chen Chu and the City Government were sued by Benhe borough (本和里) chief Lin Chi-mei (林紀美), a fellow DPP member, in the aftermath of the flooding, alleging that the city government did not maintain proper facilities that might have prevented flooding.