The first women President of Taiwan - Tsai Ing-wen

Tsai Ing-wen has been sworn-in as the new President of Taiwan, thereby becoming the island's first female leader.

59-year-old Tsai began her four-year term as the President after an inaugural ceremony at the Presidential Office during which the national anthem was sung, reports Guardian.

The DPP chairwoman and former vice premier scored a convincing victory in the January 16 election.

She took over from President Ma Ying-jeou , who served two four-year terms since May 2008.

Huang Chung-yen, who will be the Presidential Office spokesman, said the main goal of Tsai’s government is to build a better country for the young, adding she hopes to achieve that by gradually adjusting political, social and economic structures that are unfriendly to today's young people.

He spoke of five main topics that Tsai will cover in her speech: transformation of Taiwan's economic structure, improvement of the social safety net, fairness and justice, peaceful and stable development in the region and relations across the Taiwan Strait, and diplomacy and Taiwan's role in the world, reports ChinaPost.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said nearly 700 heads of state, diplomats and dignitaries would be attending the event in Taipei.

Tsai's election win was only the second ever for the DPP - the Kuomintang (KMT) has been in power for most of the past 70 years.

Background

• Earlier in January 2016, Tsai led the DPP had won the Parliamentary and Presidential elections.


• Ms Tsai’s victory was the biggest mandate ever won by a DPP President and is only the second-ever victory for the DPP since Taiwan split with China in 1949.


• The first was Chen Shui-bian who also was pro-independence (from China) advocate. During his time as President between 2000 and 2008 tensions had escalated with China.


• China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province (island) which will one day be reunited with the mainland. China also has threatened to take back by force, if necessary.

General Information Tsai Ing-wen

• President of the Republic of China (Assumed office): 20 May 2016 | Premier: Lin Chuan | Vice President: Chen Chien-jen | Preceded by: Ma Ying-jeou.


• Chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (Assumed office): 28 May 2014 | Preceded by: Su Tseng-chang |


• In office: 20 May 2008 – 14 January 2012 | Preceded by               : Frank Hsieh (Acting) | Succeeded by: Chen Chu (Acting)


• Vice Premier of the Republic of China (In office): 25 January 2006 – 21 May 2007 | Premier: Su Tseng-chang | Preceded by: Wu Rong-I | Succeeded by: Chiou I-jen


• Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council (In office): 20 May 2000 – 20 May 2004 | President: Chen Shui-bian | Premier: Tang Fei, Chang Chun-hsiung, Yu Shyi-kun | Deputy: Chen Ming-tong | Preceded by: Su Chi | Succeeded by: Joseph Wu

Personal details

• Born: 31 August 1956 (age 59), Taipei, Taiwan


• Political party: Independent (Before 2004), Democratic Progressive Party (2004–present)


• Alma mater: National Taiwan University, Cornell University, London School of Economics

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