Kaohsiung Incident defence lawyer who named the DPP, later mayor of Kaohsiung and premier
Born in 1946 into a family of traditional physicians in Dadaocheng, Taipei, he studied law at National Taiwan University and Kyoto University and practised as an attorney, rising to prominence in 1980 as a defence lawyer for the accused in the Kaohsiung Incident. Elected to the Taipei City Council as a Tangwai candidate in 1981, he co-founded the Democratic Progressive Party in 1986 and gave it its name. After serving in the Legislative Yuan he defeated the Kuomintang incumbent Wu Den-yih in 1998 to become mayor of Kaohsiung, and chaired the DPP from 2000 to 2002. Appointed premier in 2005, he resigned after the party's defeat in that year's local elections, and in 2008 he lost the presidential election to Ma Ying-jeou as the DPP candidate. From 2016 to 2024 he was Taiwan's representative to Japan.
Also known as: Frank Hsieh · Xie Changting
Activities and affiliations
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1986–
Political and party leadership
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1998–2005
Republic of China state institutionsMayor of Kaohsiung
Government and administration -
2000–2002
Democratic Progressive PartyChairman of the Democratic Progressive Party
Political and party leadership -
2005–2006
Republic of China state institutionsPresident of the Executive YuanHeads of state, government and party of ChinaMain
Political and party leadership -
2016–2024
Republic of China state institutionsRepresentative to Japan
Diplomacy and international organization
Career Timeline
- 1980.01Joined the defence team in the Kaohsiung Incident trials
- 1981–1988Member of the Taipei City Council
- 1986.09Co-founded the DPP and proposed its name
- 1990–1996Member of the Legislative Yuan
- 1996DPP vice-presidential candidate with Peng Ming-min
- 1998–2005Mayor of Kaohsiung
- 2000–2002Chairman of the DPP
- 2005.02.01–2006.01.25President of the Executive Yuan
- 2008.03Lost the presidential election as DPP candidate
- 2016–2024.08Representative to Japan
- 2026.01–presentChairman of the Taiwan–Japan Relations Association