DPP founder and the longest-serving premier of the Chen Shui-bian administration
Born in 1948 to a poor tenant-farming family in Dongshan, Yilan County, he left junior high school to work the family farm after a typhoon destroyed the house and his father died, and later resumed his studies at night schools. Elected to the Taiwan Provincial Assembly in 1981, he became a leader of the Tangwai opposition and in 1986 organised the founding meeting of the Democratic Progressive Party. After two terms as magistrate of Yilan County he served the Chen Shui-bian administration as vice premier and secretary-general to the president, and was premier from 2002 to 2005. Elected DPP chairman in 2006, he resigned in 2007 when he was indicted for misusing a special fund, and was acquitted in 2012. He was president of the Legislative Yuan from 2020 to 2024 and is known as a strong advocate of Taiwan independence.
Also known as: You Si-kun · You Xikun
Activities and affiliations
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1986–
Political and party leadership
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1989–1997
Republic of China state institutionsMagistrate of Yilan County
Government and administration -
2000
Republic of China state institutionsVice Premier
Government and administration -
2002–2005
Republic of China state institutionsPresident of the Executive YuanHeads of state, government and party of ChinaMain
Political and party leadership -
2006–2007
Democratic Progressive PartyChairman of the Democratic Progressive Party
Political and party leadership -
2020–2024
Republic of China state institutionsPresident of the Legislative Yuan
Legislature and state representation
Career Timeline
- 1981Member of the Taiwan Provincial Assembly for Yilan County
- 1983–1984Secretary-General of the Tangwai movement
- 1986.09Organised the founding meeting of the DPP; member of its first Central Standing Committee
- 1989–1997Magistrate of Yilan County
- 1998–1999Chairman of the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation
- 1999–2000Secretary-General of the DPP
- 2000.05–07Vice Premier
- 2001–2002.02.01Secretary-General to the President
- 2002.02.01–2005.02.01President of the Executive Yuan
- 2005.02Secretary-General to the President
- 2006.01.15–2007.09.21Chairman of the DPP
- 2020.02.01–2024.02.01President of the Legislative Yuan