Lee Teng-hui

Lee Teng-hui , 1923-, Taiwanese agricultural economist and politician, president of Taiwan (1988-2000). Born in Taiwan when it was ruled by Japan, he was educated at Kyoto Imperial, Iowa State, and Cornell universities. A member of the Kuomintang , he served on the Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction (1957-61) and as a minister without portfolio (1972-78), mayor of Taipei (1978-81), governor of Taiwan province (1981-84), and vice president of Taiwan (1984-88). In Jan., 1988, he succeeded to the presidency at Chiang Ching-kuo 's death. Although originally considered an interim figure, he continued the democratization of Taiwan and in 1996 became its first popularly elected president. Continuing to foster Taiwan's industrial expansion, Lee used the island's economic success to diminish its international isolation. His suggestion in 1999 that Taiwan might consider itself to be a independent nation and not part of China strained relations with the mainland. In Mar., 2000, Lee was forced to resign as head of the Kuomintang after its candidate placed third in the Taiwanese presidential election. After Lee publicly split (2001) with the new leaders of the party, charging them with betraying Taiwan, he was expelled from the Kuomintang.

Lee Teng-hui (b. 15 Jan. 1923). President of Taiwan (Republic of China) 1988–2000 Born in Taipei, he studied at Kyoto University (Japan) during World War II, finished his degree at the National Taiwan University in 1948, and obtained a doctorate in agricultural economics from Cornell University (USA). A member of the Guomindang, he became a university teacher before being appointed Minister of State in 1972. He became Mayor of Taipei in 1978, and governor of Taiwan Province in 1981. In 1984, Chiang Ching-kuo appointed him Vice-President and his designated successor. Against stiff opposition from a number of hardline members within the Guomindang, he was the first ethnic Taiwanese to be elected to the presidency. He continued his predecessor's reforms of political liberalization. On the all-important question of relations with mainland China, he steered a difficult course between assisting the country in its transition to become an internationally recognized, self-confident state, against the fierce hostility of China, while at the same time authorizing a dialogue with Deng's Communist government about possible reunification, and increasing trade between the two countries. He was confirmed in office by Parliament in 1990, and in 1996 he won the country's first popular presidential elections. He resigned the chairmanship of the KMT when the party lost the elections for his successor in 2000.