Editing Lee Teng-hui (section)

== Presidency (1988–2000) ==
{{See also|February 1990 power struggle}}
[[Chiang Ching-kuo]] died in January 1988 and Lee succeeded him as president.<ref name="Roy180">Denny Roy. ''Taiwan: A Political History.'' Cornell University Press, 2003. p. 180. {{ISBN|9780801488054}}</ref> The "[[Palace Faction]]" of the KMT, a group of conservative Chinese headed by General [[Hau Pei-tsun]], Premier [[Yu Kuo-hwa]], and Education Minister [[Lee Huan]], as well as [[Chiang Kai-shek]]'s widow, [[Soong Mei-ling]],<ref name="Roy180"/> were deeply distrustful of Lee and sought to block his accession to the KMT chairmanship and sideline him as a figurehead. With the help of [[James Soong]]—himself a member of the Palace Faction—who quieted the hardliners with the famous plea "Each day of delay is a day of disrespect to Ching-kuo," Lee was allowed to ascend to the chairmanship unobstructed.<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 March 2000|title=The many faces of James Soong – Taipei Times|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/insight/archives/2000/03/15/0000027929|access-date=31 July 2020|website=www.taipeitimes.com|archive-date=10 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210072306/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/insight/archives/2000/03/15/0000027929|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[13th National Congress of Kuomintang]] in July 1988, Lee named 31 members of the Central Committee, 16 of whom were ''bensheng ren'': for the first time, ''bensheng ren'' held a majority in what was then a powerful policy-making body.<ref>Denny Roy. ''Taiwan: A Political History.'' Cornell University Press, 2003. p. 181. {{ISBN|9780801488054}}</ref> On 20 March, he ordered to release the [[political prisoner]], Gen. [[Sun Li-jen]] from 33 years of [[house arrest]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AW9yrtekFRkC&pg=P1 |title=Opposition and dissent in contemporary China |author=Peter R. Moody |year=1977 |publisher=Hoover Press |isbn=0-8179-6771-0 |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412113509/https://books.google.com/books?id=AW9yrtekFRkC&pg=P1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YoB35f6HD9gC&pg=P1 |title=Patterns in the dust: Chinese-American relations and the recognition controversy, 1949-1950 |author=Nancy Bernkopf Tucker |author-link=Nancy Bernkopf Tucker |year=1983 |publisher=[[Columbia University Press]] |isbn=0-231-05362-2 |access-date=19 March 2021 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412113510/https://books.google.com/books?id=YoB35f6HD9gC&pg=P1 |url-status=live }}</ref> In August, he listened to the [[Taiwanese indigenous peoples|aboriginal]] legislator [[Tsai Chung-han]]'s advocacy in the General Assembly of [[Legislative Yuan]] and the journalism reportage of [[Independence Evening Post]] on the [[human rights]]' concern to release the remaining survivors of the [[Capture of the Tuapse|civilian Tanker Tuapse]] free after 34 years in [[captivity]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Early Taiwan-Russian relations you may not know |url=https://fubowu.com/2018/01/23/%E4%BD%A0%E5%8F%AF%E8%83%BD%E4%B8%8D%E7%9F%A5%E9%81%93%E7%9A%84%E6%97%A9%E6%9C%9F%E5%8F%B0%E4%BF%84%E9%97%9C%E4%BF%82/ |author=Wu Fucheng |date=23 January 2018 |publisher=European Union Forum, [[Tamkang University]] |language=zh-tw |access-date=19 March 2021 |archive-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417074655/https://fubowu.com/2018/01/23/%E4%BD%A0%E5%8F%AF%E8%83%BD%E4%B8%8D%E7%9F%A5%E9%81%93%E7%9A%84%E6%97%A9%E6%9C%9F%E5%8F%B0%E4%BF%84%E9%97%9C%E4%BF%82/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Andrey Slyusarenko |title=Floating for half a life |url=https://odessa-life.od.ua/article/264-plavanie-dlinoyu-v-polzhizni |publisher=Odessa Life |date=11 November 2009 |language=ru-ru |access-date=19 March 2021 |archive-date=23 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223221423/https://odessa-life.od.ua/article/264-plavanie-dlinoyu-v-polzhizni |url-status=live }}</ref>Lee Teng-hui also intervened in the selection of the vice president of the [[Legislative Yuan]] that year, replacing the hardliner [[Chao Tzu-chi]], who was supported by Legislative Yuan presidential candidate [[Liu Kuo-tsai]], with the more moderate [[Liang Su-yung]]. Two years later, Liang succeeded Liu as president of the Legislative Yuan.<ref>{{cite book |last1=章 |first1=炎憲|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WQyDDwAAQBAJ&dq=%E6%A2%81%E8%82%85%E6%88%8E+cc&pg=PA1970 |title=戰後台灣媒體與轉型正義論文集 |date=2008 |publisher=財團法人吳三連獎基金會 |isbn=9789868429314 |pages=1970 |via=Google Books }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=羅 |first=成典 |title=立法院風雲錄 |date=2014 |publisher=獨立作家出版 |isbn=9789865729288 |pages=225 |language=zh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fiRQBAAAQBAJ&dq=%E8%B6%99%E8%87%AA%E9%BD%8A+%E7%AB%8B%E6%B3%95%E9%99%A2%E9%A2%A8%E9%9B%B2%E9%8C%84&pg=PA225 }}</ref>

While Lee Teng-hui is credited with advancing Taiwan's democratization, his tenure was also marked by controversies surrounding [[Black gold (politics)|black gold politics]] and populism. The term "black gold politics" refers to the involvement of organized crime in local politics, leading to corruption and the entanglement of political figures with criminal elements. This phenomenon has been linked to populist policies that, while appealing to the masses, sometimes overlooked institutional integrity and governance standards. Critics argue that these issues not only compromised the political environment but also hindered effective governance during Lee's administration.<ref>{{cite book |last= 林|first=澤燊 |title=新鏗鏘集 以史為鑑, 挑戰未來 |date=2011 |publisher=日落草廬 |isbn=9780692011201 |pages=422 |language=zh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dpfp-BuExksC&dq=%E6%9D%8E%E7%99%BB%E8%BC%9D+%E9%BB%91%E9%87%91&pg=PA422}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Chin|first=Ko-lin |title=黑金 台灣政治與經濟實況揭密 |date=2004 |publisher=商周出版 |isbn=9789861242071 |pages=237 |language=zh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fp-4AAAAIAAJ&q=%E6%9D%8E%E7%99%BB%E8%BC%9D+%E9%BB%91%E9%87%91}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= 專輯組|first=《明報》 |title=明察天下2 |date=2015 |publisher=Ming bao chu ban she you xian gong si |isbn=9789888337194 |pages=119 |language=zh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PoCQCgAAQBAJ&dq=%E6%9D%8E%E7%99%BB%E8%BC%9D+%E9%BB%91%E9%87%91&pg=PA119}}</ref>

As he consolidated power during the early years of his presidency, Lee allowed his rivals within the KMT to occupy positions of influence:<ref name="TimeObit">[https://web.archive.org/web/20200731124138/https://time.com/5873614/former-taiwanese-president-lee-teng-hui-dies-97/ "Former President Lee Teng-hui Who Brought Direct Elections to Taiwan Dies at 97."] ''Time.'' 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.</ref> when Yu Guo-hwa retired as premier in 1989, he was replaced by Lee Huan,<ref name="Roy186">Denny Roy. ''Taiwan: A Political History.'' Cornell University Press, 2003. p. 186. {{ISBN|9780801488054}}</ref> who was succeeded by Hau Pei-tsun in 1990.<ref name="Roy187">Denny Roy. ''Taiwan: A Political History.'' Cornell University Press, 2003. p. 187. {{ISBN|9780801488054}}</ref> At the same time, Lee made a major reshuffle of the [[Executive Yuan]], as he had done with the KMT Central Committee, replacing several elderly ''[[waishengren]]'' with younger ''[[benshengren]]'', mostly of technical backgrounds.<ref name="Roy186"/> Fourteen of these new appointees, like Lee, had been educated in the United States. Prominent among the appointments were [[Lien Chan]] as [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Republic of China)|foreign minister]] and [[Shirley Kuo]] as [[Ministry of Finance (Taiwan)|finance minister]].<ref name="Roy186"/>

1990 saw the arrival of the [[Wild Lily student movement]] on behalf of full democracy for Taiwan.<ref name="Huang">Jewel Huang. [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/03/22/2003247307 "TSU proposes changing date of Youth Day to March 21."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930034140/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/03/22/2003247307 |date=30 September 2020 }} ''Taipei Times''. 22 March 2005. Retrieved 30 July 2020.</ref> Thousands of Taiwanese students demonstrated for democratic reforms.<ref name="Huang"/> The demonstrations culminated in a sit-in demonstration by over 300,000 students at [[Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall|Memorial Square]] in Taipei.<ref name="Huang"/> Students called for direct elections of the national president and vice president and for a new election for all legislative seats. On 21 March, Lee welcomed some of the students to the [[Presidential Office Building, Taipei|Presidential Building]].<ref name="Huang"/> He expressed his support of their goals and pledged his commitment to full democracy in Taiwan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=壓抑到綻放──校園民主醞釀出的野百合（三之一） – 上報 / 評論|url=https://www.upmedia.mg/news_info.php?SerialNo=87805|access-date=31 July 2020|website=[[Up Media]]|archive-date=11 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611140217/https://www.upmedia.mg/news_info.php?SerialNo=87805|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=民間全民電視公司|date=31 July 2020|title=李登輝辭世 野百合學運女神憶當年...|url=https://www.ftvnews.com.tw/news/detail/2020731W0057|access-date=31 July 2020|website=民視新聞網|language=zh-Hant|archive-date=30 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630083608/https://www.ftvnews.com.tw/news/detail/2020731W0057|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 1991, Lee spearheaded a drive to eliminate the [[Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion]], laws put in place following the KMT arrival in 1949 that suspended the democratic functions of the government.<ref>"Chia-lung Lin and Bo Tedards. "Lee Teng-hui: Transformational Leadership in Taiwan's Transition." ''Sayonara to the Lee Teng-hui Era.'' Wei-chin Lee and T. Y. Wang, eds. University Press of America, 2003. p. 36. {{ISBN|9780761825890}}</ref> In December 1991, the original members of the [[Legislative Yuan]], elected to represent Chinese constituencies in 1948, were forced to resign and new elections were held to apportion more seats to the ''bensheng ren''.<ref>Steven J. Hood. ''The Kuomintang and the Democratization of Taiwan''. Westview, 1997. p. 102. {{ISBN|9780813390079}}</ref> The elections forced [[Hau Pei-tsun]] from the [[Premier of the Republic of China|premiership]],<ref name="Roy187"/> a position he was given in exchange for his tacit support of Lee. He was replaced by Lien Chan, then an ally of Lee.<ref name="Roy187"/>

The prospect of the first island-wide [[1996 ROC presidential election|democratic election]] the next year, together with Lee's June 1995 visit to [[Cornell University]], sparked the [[Third Taiwan Strait Crisis]].<ref name="TimeObit"/> The United States had not prepared the PRC for Lee receiving a United States visa.<ref name=":05">{{Cite book |last=Lampton |first=David M. |title=Living U.S.-China Relations: From Cold War to Cold War |date=2024 |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |isbn=978-1-5381-8725-8 |location=Lanham, MD |pages=224 |author-link=David M. Lampton}}</ref> While in the United States, Lee stated, "Taiwan is a country with independent sovereignty."<ref name=":12">{{Cite book |last=Zhao |first=Suisheng |title=The Taiwan Question in Xi Jinping's Era: Beijing's Evolving Taiwan Policy and Taiwan's Internal and External Dynamics |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2024 |isbn=9781032861661 |editor-last=Zhao |editor-first=Suisheng |editor-link=Suisheng Zhao |location=London and New York |pages= |chapter=Is Beijing's Long Game on Taiwan about to End? Peaceful Unification, Brinksmanship, and Military Takeover |doi=}}</ref>{{Rp|page=11}}

The PRC conducted a series of missile tests in the waters surrounding Taiwan and other military maneuvers off the coast of [[Fujian]] in response to what Communist Party leaders described as moves by Lee to "split the motherland".<ref name="Roy197">Denny Roy. ''Taiwan: A Political History.'' Cornell University Press, 2003. p. 197. {{ISBN|9780801488054}}</ref> The PRC government launched another set of tests just days before the [[1996 ROC presidential election|election]], sending missiles over the island to express its dissatisfaction should the Taiwanese people vote for Lee.<ref name="Roy197" /> In 1996, the United States sent two aircraft carrier groups to Taiwan's vicinity and the PRC then de-escalated.<ref name=":05" /> The military actions disrupted trade and shipping lines and caused a temporary dip in the Asian stock market.

Lee's overall stance on Taiwanese independence during the election cycle was characterized as "deliberately vague".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tyler|first1=Patrick E.|title=Tension in Taiwan|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/22/world/tension-in-taiwan-the-politics-war-games-play-well-for-taiwan-s-leader.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=3 June 2016|work=The New York Times|date=22 March 1996|archive-date=1 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701173804/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/22/world/tension-in-taiwan-the-politics-war-games-play-well-for-taiwan-s-leader.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref>

The previous eight presidents and vice presidents of the ROC had been elected by the members of the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]]. For the first time, the President of the ROC would be elected by majority vote of Taiwan's population. On 23 March 1996, Lee became the first popularly elected ROC president with 54% of the vote.<ref name="Roy201">Denny Roy. ''Taiwan: A Political History.'' Cornell University Press, 2003. p. 201. {{ISBN|9780801488054}}</ref> Many people who worked or resided in other countries made special trips back to the island to vote. In addition to the president, the governor of [[Taiwan Province]] and the mayors of [[Taipei]] and [[Kaohsiung]] (as leaders of provincial level divisions they were formerly appointed by the president) became popularly elected.<ref name="Roy201"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:left;"
|-
! colspan=5|[[1996 Taiwanese presidential election]] Result
|-
! President Candidate
! Vice President Candidate
! Party
! Votes
! %
|-
| '''Lee Teng-hui'''
| '''[[Lien Chan]]'''
| [[Image:Emblem of the Kuomintang.svg|25px]] [[Kuomintang]]
| align=right|'''5,813,699'''
| align=right|'''54.0'''
|-
| [[Peng Ming-min]]
| [[Frank Hsieh]]
|[[Democratic Progressive Party]]
| align=right|2,274,586
| align=right|21.1
|-
| [[Lin Yang-kang]]
| [[Hau Pei-tsun]]
| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| align=right|1,603,790
| align=right|14.9
|-
| [[Chen Li-an]]
| [[Wang Ching-feng]]
| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| align=right|1,074,044
| align=right|9.9
|-
|colspan=3|Invalid/blank votes||align=right|117,160||
|-
|colspan=3|'''Total'''||align=right|'''10,883,279'''||align=right|'''100'''
|}

Lee, in an interview that same year, expressed his view that a [[special state-to-state relations]]hip existed between Taiwan and the [[People's Republic of China]] (PRC) that all negotiations between the two sides of the Strait needed to observe.<ref>{{cite news|title=Why Beijing fears Taiwan's Lee Teng-hui|url=http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/inside.china/profiles/lee.tenghui/|access-date=4 November 2014|publisher=CNN|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924190222/http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/inside.china/profiles/lee.tenghui/|url-status=live}}</ref> PRC leadership interpreted this statement to mean that Taiwan would take efforts toward independence and consequently the remark increased Cross-Strait tensions.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Cunningham |first=Fiona S. |title=Under the Nuclear Shadow: China's Information-Age Weapons in International Security |date=2025 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0-691-26103-4 |location=}}</ref>{{Rp|page=98}}

As president, he attempted to further reform the government. Controversially, he attempted to remove the provincial level of government and proposed that lower level government officials be appointed, not elected.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ajello|first1=Robin|last2=Eyton|first2=Laurence|title=Superman no more|url=http://edition.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/97/0606/nat1.html|access-date=19 February 2017|publisher=CNN|date=6 June 1997|archive-date=20 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220093241/http://edition.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/97/0606/nat1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Lee, observing constitutional term limits he had helped enact, stepped down from the presidency at the end of his term in 2000. That year, [[Democratic Progressive Party]] candidate [[Chen Shui-bian]] won the [[2000 ROC presidential election|national election]] with 39% of the vote in a three-way race.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/world/asia/031900taiwan-election.html |work=[[New York Times]] |title=After 50 Years, Nationalists Are Ousted in Taiwan Vote |first=Erik |last=Eckholm |access-date=31 July 2020 |date=18 March 2000 |archive-date=23 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923193110/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/world/asia/031900taiwan-election.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Chen's victory marked an end to KMT rule and the first [[peaceful transition of power|peaceful transfer of power]] in Taiwan's new democratic system.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ips-dc.org/the_trials_and_tribulations_of_chinas_first_democracy_the_roc_one_year_after_the_victory_of_chen_shui-bian/ |date=1 February 2001 |first=Teresa |last=Wright |title=The Trials and Tribulations of China's First Democracy: The ROC One Year After the Victory of Chen Shui-bian |access-date=31 July 2020 |archive-date=22 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922134919/https://ips-dc.org/the_trials_and_tribulations_of_chinas_first_democracy_the_roc_one_year_after_the_victory_of_chen_shui-bian/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Supporters of rival candidates Lien Chan and [[James Soong]] accused Lee of setting up the split in the KMT that had enabled Chen to win.<ref>Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee. [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-lee-obituary/taiwans-mr-democracy-lee-teng-hui-championed-island-defied-china-idUSKCN24V2AF "Taiwan's 'Mr Democracy' Lee Teng-hui championed island, defied China."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730185331/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-lee-obituary/taiwans-mr-democracy-lee-teng-hui-championed-island-defied-china-idUSKCN24V2AF |date=30 July 2020 }} Reuters. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.</ref> Lee had promoted the uncharismatic Lien over the popular Soong as the KMT candidate. Soong had subsequently run as an independent and was expelled from the KMT. The number of votes garnered by both Soong and Lien would have accounted for approximately 60% of the vote while individually the candidates placed behind Chen.<ref name=Linp41>"Chia-lung Lin and Bo Tedards. "Lee Teng-hui: Transformational Leadership in Taiwan's Transition." ''Sayonara to the Lee Teng-hui Era.'' Wei-chin Lee and T.Y. Wang, eds. University Press of America, 2003. p. 41. {{ISBN|9780761825890}}</ref> Protests were staged in front of the KMT party headquarters in Taipei.<ref name=Linp41/> Fuelling this anger were the persistent suspicions following Lee throughout his presidency that he secretly supported Taiwan independence and that he was intentionally sabotaging the Kuomintang from above.<ref>Denny Roy. ''Taiwan: A Political History.'' Cornell University Press, 2003. p. 230. {{ISBN|9780801488054}}</ref> Lee resigned his chairmanship on 24 March.<ref name=Linp41/>

During his presidency, Lee supported the [[Taiwanese nationalism|Taiwanese localization movement]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Farewell Lee Teng-hui|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB953844671744684377|access-date=3 June 2016|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=24 March 2000|archive-date=5 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805020339/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB953844671744684377|url-status=live}}</ref> The Taiwanization movement has its roots in Japanese rule founded during the Japanese era and sought to put emphasis on vernacular Taiwanese culture in Taiwan as the center of people's lives as opposed to Nationalist China.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://journals.openedition.org/chinaperspectives/pdf/2863 |first=Jean-Pierre |last=Cabestan |title=Specificities and Limits of Taiwanese Nationalism |journal=China Perspectives |volume=62 |date=November 2005 |page=3 |access-date=31 July 2020 |archive-date=19 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219171518/https://journals.openedition.org/chinaperspectives/pdf/2863 |url-status=live }}</ref> During the Chiang era, China was promoted as the center of an ideology that would build a Chinese national outlook in a people who had once considered themselves Japanese subjects.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WHOhJ6B0M9UC&pg=PA112 |pages=112–113 |title=Between Assimilation and Independence: The Taiwanese Encounter Nationalist China, 1945–1950 |first=Steven E. |last=Phillips |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=2003 |isbn=9780804744577 |access-date=9 September 2020 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412113514/https://books.google.com/books?id=WHOhJ6B0M9UC&pg=PA112 |url-status=live }}</ref> Taiwan was often relegated to a backwater province of China in the KMT-supported history books.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-taiwan-relations |publisher=[[Council on Foreign Relations]] |title=China-Taiwan Relations |date=22 January 2020 |first=Eleanor |last=Albert |access-date=31 July 2020 |archive-date=26 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726215005/https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-taiwan-relations |url-status=live }}</ref> People were discouraged from studying local Taiwanese customs, which were to be replaced by mainstream Chinese customs. Lee sought to turn Taiwan into a center rather than an appendage.<ref name="ReutersObit"/>  In 1997, he presided over the adoption of the Taiwan-centric history textbook ''[[Knowing Taiwan]]''.