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Wang Jin-pyng Wikipedia

Image:Wang Hastert.jpg|framed|Dennis Hastert and Wang Jin-pyng in Washington, DC.

Wang Jin-pyng (Chinese language|Chinese: 王金平, pinyin: W?ng Jīnp?ng) (born March 17, 1941), Republic of China|Taiwanese politician, is the President of the Legislative Yuan and one of six vice chairmen of the Kuomintang. Wang is considered to be soft-spoken and a concilatory figure. While he is considered to be an extremely shrewd politician, he is also widely seen as clean and non-corrupt in contrast to many other figures within the Kuomintang.

Born in Lu-ju Township, Kaohsiung County, Wang graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from the National Taiwan Normal University in 1965. He worked as a math teacher for a year at the Provincial Chang-Hua Ging-Der High School. After his mantatory military service was completed, Wang returned home to work for the family-run food processing company. In early 1975, he became the founding director-in-chief of the Kaoshiung Industrial Association. His job involved travelling throughout the county to inspect member factories and led to his entry into politics later that year.

Following his victory in the ROC legislative election, 1975|1975 supplementary legislative election for the Kaohsiung County constituency, Wang took his seat in the Legislative Yuan on February 1, 1976 . He has since been reelected eight times. From 1976 until 1990, he was a member of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Yuan. In 1990, he was appointed Vice Chairman of the Central Policy Committee of the KMT and Chairman of the Central Policy Committee's Finance Commission.

Wang became the KMT's first Director-General of the Committee on Coordination between Party and Government and the KMT Caucus Convenor in the Legislative Yuan in 1992 following the retirement of the original Legislative Yuan members in December 1991. He was Vice President of the 2nd and 3rd Legislative Yuans from 1993 to 1999.

He was elected president of the 4th Legislative Yuan on February 1, 1999. The KMT lost its majority for the first time in the ROC legislative election, 2001|2001 legislative election, but through the narrow Pan-Blue Coalition majority, he was reelected president for the 5th Legislative Yuan on February 1, 2002. He has been a KMT vice chairman since 2000 and a member of its Central Standing Committee since 1993.

During the ROC presidential election, 2004|2004 presidential election, he served as campaign manager for the Lien Chan and James Soong ticket. Considered part of the pro-Taiwanization|localization faction in the KMT, his strong support and active campaigning for the Lien-Soong ticket was considered very significant as it blunted criticism that Lien-Soong were anti-Taiwan. There were calls, which he ignored, from many figures such as Lee Teng-hui for him to abandon Lien and join the Taiwan Solidarity Union before the election.

He was noticeably absent when Lien and Soong refused to concede defeat on the night of the election and was absent from the rallies that occurred afterwards. Though he cited prior engagements, observers contend that he may be positioning himself to succeed Lien. After the defeat of Lien, most observers believe that he and Ma Ying-jeou will take over leadership of the Kuomintang from Lien Chan. As a southerner, a native Taiwanese (linguistics)|Holo speaker, and a legislator and person identified with the pro-localization faction of the Kuomintang, he is expected to provide balance to Ma Ying-Jeou, who is a northerner, a Mainlander, an executive, and someone more identified with the more unification-leaning parts of the party. They have been touted as presidential candidates for 2008.

See also: Politics of Taiwan

Last Modified:   2005-04-12