Hsiao Bi-khim
MLY
蕭美琴
Official portrait, 2020
Vice President-elect of the Republic of China
Assuming office
20 May 2024
PresidentLai Ching-te (elect)
SucceedingLai Ching-te
Taiwanese Representative to the United States
In office
20 July 2020 – 30 November 2023
PresidentTsai Ing-wen
Preceded byStanley Kao
Succeeded byAlexander Yui
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
1 February 2012 – 31 January 2020
Preceded byWang Ting-son (9th)
Succeeded byFu Kun-chi (9th)
ConstituencyHualien County (9th)
Party-list (8th)
In office
1 February 2002 – 1 February 2008
ConstituencyTaipei 1 (6th)
Overseas (5th)
Personal details
Born
Bi-Khim Louise Hsiao

(1971-08-07) 7 August 1971
Kobe, Japan
CitizenshipTaiwan
United States (1971–2002)
Political partyDemocratic Progressive Party
EducationOberlin College (BA)
Columbia University (MA)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese蕭美琴
Simplified Chinese萧美琴

Hsiao Bi-khim[note 1] (Chinese: 蕭美琴; pinyin: Xiāo Měiqín; Wade–Giles: Hsiao1 Mei3-ch'in2; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Siau Bí-khîm; born Bi-khim Louise Hsiao[1] on 7 August 1971) is a Taiwanese politician and diplomat. She is the vice president-elect of Taiwan following the 2024 Taiwanese presidential election, and will become Taiwan's first biracial vice president. Previously, Hsiao was a member of the Legislative Yuan from 2002 to 2008 and again between 2012 and 2020. She served as the Taiwanese representative to the United States from 2020 to 2023.

Born in Kōbe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, Hsiao grew up in Tainan, Taiwan, before moving to the United States. She graduated from Oberlin College in 1993 and Columbia University with a master's degree in political science in 1995. A member of the DPP,[2] she is an important figure in the party's foreign policy circles.[3] She formerly served as a vice president of Liberal International.[4]

Early life and education

Hsiao was born in Kōbe, Japan, to a Taiwanese father, Hsiao Tsing-fen, and an American mother, Peggy Cooley. Raised in Tainan, her maternal family's presence in the United States dates back to the Mayflower (1620).[5]

In Taiwan, Hsiao grew up speaking Mandarin, Hokkien, and English, and was raised in a Presbyterian family.[6][7][8] She moved to the United States as a teenager and graduated from Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey.[9] Hsiao holds a BA in East Asian studies from Oberlin College and a MA in political science from Columbia University.[3][10][11]

Entry into politics

In the United States, Hsiao became active with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) representative office in the US, serving as an activity coordinator. On returning to Taiwan, Hsiao became the party's international affairs director, and represented the party at various international conferences for over a decade.[10]

After Chen Shui-bian took office as the President of the Republic of China in 2000, Hsiao served as his interpreter and advisor for nearly two years.[10] Her dual US and Republic of China (Taiwan) citizenship while she was holding a government position became an issue, and she renounced her US citizenship in 2002, as required by the Civil Servants Employment Law passed in 2000.[12][1]

Legislative career

In January 2001, Hsiao announced her intention to run for the Legislative Yuan on the DPP ticket as a supplementary member representing overseas constituencies, citing her experience in international relations.[13] She was subsequently elected in December the same year.[10]

In the legislative elections of December 2004, Hsiao was reelected to the Legislative Yuan representing Taipei's first constituency, covering the northern districts of Xinyi, Songshan, Nangang, Neihu, Shilin, and Beitou. As a legislator, she served on the Foreign and Overseas Affairs Committee (外交及僑務委員會), the Procedure Committee (程序委員會), and the Discipline Committee (紀律委員會).[2]

Hsiao worked on a number of issues in the legislature, notably women's rights, the rights of foreigners in Taiwan, and other human rights. Hsiao supported amending the Nationality Law to allow individuals born to at least one parent of ROC nationality to also claim ROC nationality irrespective of age,[14] and has also proposed and cosponsored anti-discrimination and anti-domestic violence amendments to the Immigration Act.[15] She has also been a proponent of animal rights, proposing amendments to the Animal Protection Act,[16] and also pushed for the passage of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act in January 2005.[17]

In May 2005, Hsiao represented the DPP at the annual congress of Liberal International in Sofia, Bulgaria, during which she was elected a vice-president of the organization. Hsiao alleged that she and other DPP representatives were followed throughout their visit to Bulgaria by two unidentified persons sent by the People's Republic of China embassy in Sofia.[18]

The same month, Hsiao also started a campaign to encourage Taiwanese baseball fans to write e-mails to the New York Yankees to ask them to keep Taiwanese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang at the major league level.[19]

Hsiao was one of the DPP lawmakers targeted by some party supporters as being insufficiently loyal, with a pro-independence radio show dubbing her "Chinese Khim" (中國琴) in March 2007, charging that she was close to the DPP's former New Tide faction.[20] Defended by some other DPP members, Hsiao was still not nominated to stand for re-election by the DPP in the January 2008 legislative elections,[21] a move some attributed to being the result of that controversy.[22]

Hsiao left the Legislative Yuan after her term expired on 31 January 2008. She served as spokesperson for Frank Hsieh's unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign.[23] She is also vice chairman of the Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation,[24] a member of the board of trustees of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy,[25] a member of the executive committee of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats,[26] and a founding member of the Taiwan Association for Women in Sport (台灣女子體育運動協會).[27]

From 2010, Hsiao spent a decade representing the DPP in Hualien County, a strongly pro-Kuomintang conservative region. In the same year, she lost with a slim minority in a by-election, but was still regarded as having broken the "iron vote" of the Kuomintang.[28] She then set up a Hualien service office, and continued making weekly journeys between Taipei and Hualien.[28]

Hsiao returned to the Legislative Yuan in February 2012, elected via party list proportional representation. In 2016, Hsiao succeeded Wang Ting-son as legislator for Hualien County. In 2018, an unsuccessful recall campaign was organized against Hsiao because of her strong support for same-sex marriage legalization. Hsiao did not yield to pressure, and continued to speak out for Hualien Pride.[28] In August 2019, she received the Democratic Progressive Party nomination to run for another term in Hualien County.[29] She lost her seat to Fu Kun-chi in the 2020 legislative elections.[30]

Diplomatic career

Hsiao stepped down from the Legislative Yuan upon the end of her term in 2020, and was subsequently named an adviser to the National Security Council in March 2020. That June, Hsiao was appointed Taiwan's representative to the United States. She succeeded Stanley Kao, and was the first woman to assume the role.[31][32] Hsiao was sworn in to the office on 20 July 2020.[33]

On 20 January 2021, Hsiao was officially invited to and attended the inauguration of US President Joe Biden, the first time Taiwan's US representative had officially attended a US presidential inauguration since the US broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979. Standing in front of the US Capitol at the inauguration, she said "Democracy is our common language and freedom is our common objective."[34]

On Taiwan National Day 2021, Hsiao threw the ceremonial first pitch before a New York Mets game, celebrating the 16th annual Mets Taiwan Day.[35]

Vice presidency

On 20 November 2023, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te officially named Hsiao his vice presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election.[36]

On 14 January 2024, Lai and Hsiao were elected president and vice president in the DPP’s third consecutive presidential race victory.

Personal life

Her father, Hsiao Tsing-fen, was a former president of the Tainan Theological College and Seminary.

In November 2000, The Journalist, a local tabloid magazine, wrongly claimed to have been told by Vice President Annette Lu that Hsiao was having an affair with President Chen. No evidence supported the false claim,[37] and Lu sued the magazine for libel in civil court. The magazine was eventually ordered to apologize and issue corrections admitting it had fabricated the story.[38]

During her political career, Hsiao and fellow legislators Cheng Li-chun and Chiu Yi-ying gained the nickname "the S.H.E of the DPP."[39] Hsiao has been a long-time supporter of gender equality and LGBT rights in Taiwan.[40][41]

Hsiao is a cat lover, saying in July 2020 that she planned to take her four cats with her when she moved to the US as Taiwan's top representative to the country.[42] As Taiwan's envoy, she said that she would combat China's allegedly aggressive "wolf warrior" diplomacy with her own brand of "cat warrior" diplomacy.[43]

Sanctions

On 17 August 2022, in the aftermath of then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on 2–3 August, China blacklisted seven Taiwanese officials including Hsiao due to their alleged support for Taiwanese independence. The blacklist bans them from entering mainland China and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, and restrict them from working with Chinese officials. Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times labelled Hsiao and the six officials as "diehard secessionists".[44]

In April 2023, Hsiao was sanctioned by China for the second time in aftermath of the meeting between President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen and then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy in the United States. The second set of sanctions also include preventing investors and firms related to the sanctioned individuals from cooperating with mainland China organisations and individuals.[45]

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ↑ Her surname is transcribed in Mandarin and her given name is transcribed in Taiwanese Hokkien.

    References

    1. 1 2 Internal Revenue Service (22 July 2002), "Quarterly Publication of Individuals, Who Have Chosen To Expatriate, as Required by Section 6039G", Federal Register
    2. 1 2 "蕭美琴 (Hsiao Bi-khim')". 第６屆 立法委員個人資料 (6th Legislative Yuan Personal Info) (in Chinese). ROC Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
    3. 1 2 Hsu, Crystal (21 July 2002). "DPP hoping new blood will rejuvenate party". Taipei Times. p. 3.
    4. ↑ "Vice President". Members > People. Liberal International. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
    5. ↑ de Changy, Florence (12 January 2024). "Hsiao Bi-khim: Taiwan's vice-presidential candidate, friend of the United States and adversary of China". Le Monde.fr. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
    6. ↑ "美國之音專文報導 美學者大讚蕭美琴 實在令人印象深刻". RTI. 30 September 2020.
    7. ↑ Lin, Weifeng (23 June 2014). "跟上美國 蕭美琴籲長老教會 包容同性婚姻". The Storm Media.
    8. ↑ Lin, Zijin (19 January 2016). "翻轉花蓮：蕭美琴VS.傅崐萁的戰爭". The Reporter.
    9. ↑ "蕭美琴（女）". Big5. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 16 June 2009.
    10. 1 2 3 4 "Personal Profile" (in Chinese). 立法委員蕭美琴虛擬服務處 (Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim's website). Retrieved 6 April 2008.
    11. ↑ "A Brief Biography". 立法委員蕭美琴虛擬服務處 (Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim's website). Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
    12. ↑ Lin, Mei-chun (7 December 2000). "Legislators pass resolution on citizenship". Taipei Times. p. 3.
    13. ↑ Lin, Mei-chun (14 January 2001), "Hsiao Bi-khim to run for legislature", The Taipei Times, p. 3
    14. ↑ Hong, Caroline (25 June 2004), "Legislator to push for changes in nationality law", The Taipei Times, p. 2
    15. ↑ Mo, Yan-chih; Loa, Lok-sin (1 December 2007), "Law change to aid migrant spouses", The Taipei Times, p. 1
    16. ↑ Wang, Flora (15 December 2007), "Lawmakers pass overhaul of law on animal rights", The Taipei Times, p. 1
    17. ↑ Mo, Yan-chih (15 January 2005), "Women's groups celebrate passage of harassment act", The Taipei Times, p. 3
    18. ↑ Huang, Jewel (18 May 2005), "Hsiao Bi-khim denounces Chinese antics at LI meet", The Taipei Times, p. 4
    19. ↑ "Wang could be demoted when Wright returns", Associated Press, 30 May 2005
    20. ↑ Wang, Flora (6 March 2007), "'Eliminated' DPP legislator questions party's values", The Taipei Times, p. 4
    21. ↑ Wang, Flora (8 May 2007), "DPP members cull New Tide and 'bandits'", The Taipei Times, p. 3
    22. ↑ Chen, Fang-ming (16 January 2008), "DPP needs a new way of defining localization", The Taipei Times, p. 8, archived from the original on 26 May 2008
    23. ↑ Wang, Flora; Ko, Shu-ling; Hsu, Jenny W. (18 March 2008), "Taiwan could be a second Tibet: Hsieh", The Taipei Times, p. 1
    24. ↑ "副董事長-蕭美琴 (Vice Chairman – Hsiao Bi-khim)" (in Chinese). Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 April 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
    25. ↑ "About TFD – Governance and Structure". Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
    26. ↑ Chang, Yun-ping (6 March 2004). "It's safe to vote for Chen, liberals say". The Taipei Times. p. 1.
    27. ↑ "About TWS" (in Chinese). Taiwan Association for Women in Sport. Archived from the original on 25 August 2005. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
    28. 1 2 3 Syrena Lin (17 June 2020). "Who Is Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan's De Facto Ambassador to the US?". The News Lens. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
    29. ↑ Pan, Jason (22 August 2019). "DPP announces names of five legislative candidates, but snubs Wang Shih-chien". Taipei Times. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
    30. ↑ Chang, Chi; Liu, Kuan-ting; Mazzetta, Matthew (12 January 2020). "2020 ELECTIONS / Young candidates, underdogs prevail in several legislative races". Central News Agency. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
    31. ↑ Chen, Christie (16 June 2020). "Hsiao Bi-khim appointed Taiwan's representative to U.S." Central News Agency. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
    32. ↑ Chiang, Chin-yeh; Hsu, Wei-ting; Chen, Yun-yu; Chiang, Yi-ching (17 June 2020). "New representative to the U.S. an 'excellent choice': experts". Central News Agency. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
    33. ↑ Shan, Shelley (21 July 2020). "No room for failure: new envoy to US". Taipei Times. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
    34. ↑ "Taiwan represented at US presidential inauguration for 1st time since 1979". Taiwan News. 21 January 2020.
    35. ↑ Hui-Ju, Chien; Chin, Jonathan (22 August 2021). "Envoy gets first pitch for the Mets on Taiwan Day".
    36. ↑ Teng, Pei-ju; Yeh, Joseph (20 November 2023). "ELECTION 2024/'Back for Taiwan': Hsiao Bi-khim accepts DPP's VP nomination". Central News Agency. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
    37. ↑ Huang, Joyce (9 January 2001), "Lack of evidence flusters magazine", The Taipei Times, p. 1
    38. ↑ Chuang, Jimmy (14 December 2002), "Magazine ordered to correct Lu story", The Taipei Times, p. 1
    39. ↑ Su, Fang-ho; Chuang, Meng-hsuan; Lin, Liang-sheng (2 February 2016). "New lawmakers walk red carpet for new session". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
    40. ↑ Tiezzi, Shannon (11 February 2021). "What to Expect From US-Taiwan Relations in 2021 (and Beyond)". The Diplomat.
    41. ↑ "Taiwan approves same-sex marriage, a first in Asia". PBS. 17 May 2019.
    42. ↑ "帶4隻貓赴美 蕭美琴自詡台灣戰貓「在狹隘空間中找到生存之地」 | 政治". 新頭殼 Newtalk (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 20 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
    43. ↑ "Hsiao to fight China's "wolf warrior diplomacy" with". RTI Radio Taiwan International (in Chinese). Retrieved 21 July 2020.
    44. ↑ "China imposes sanctions on seven Taiwan 'secessionist' officials". Al Jazeera. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
    45. ↑ "China imposes further sanctions on Taiwan's US representative". Channel NewsAsia. 7 April 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
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