Yao Li-ming

Yao Li-ming (Chinese: 姚立明; born 15 January 1952) is a Taiwanese political scientist, politician, and political commentator.

Yao Li-ming
姚立明
Official portrait, 1996
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office 1 February 1996 – 31 January 2000
Constituency	Kaohsiung County
Personal details
Born	(1952-01-15) 15 January 1952 (age 72) Taipei, Taiwan
Nationality	Taiwan
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	New Party (1993–1997) Home Party (2007–2014)

Life and career

Yao is of Mainland Chinese descent.^[1] He attended the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University before studying law at Fu Jen Catholic University, and subsequently earned a doctorate in the subject at Bielefeld University.^[2] Prior to serving in the Third Legislative Yuan, Yao hosted a political talk show for the Public Television Service and was an adjunct instructor at National Sun Yat-sen University.^[2] He represented Kaohsiung County in the Legislative Yuan from 1996 to 1999.^[2] After Yao withdrew from the New Party during his legislative term,^[3] he remained in office as a political independent.^[2] Subsequently, Lin joined the Chinese Culture University faculty as a political scientist and professor of administrative management.^[3][4] Aside from academia, Yao resumed his media career as a political commentator.^[4] Later, Yao served as secretary-general of the Home Party,^[5] and was ranked second on the Home Party party list for the January 2008 legislative elections, but was not elected to the Legislative Yuan.^[6] He was also on the board of the Congress Watch Foundation.^[7] He later became chairman of the Congress Watch Foundation.^[8] Yao and former legislative colleague Chien Ta [zh] led a commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre held at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in June 2009.^[9] Yao was a founding board member of the Thinking Taiwan Foundation, established by Tsai Ing-wen in 2012.^[10] Independent mayoral candidate Ko Wen-je offered Yao the position of campaign director before the 2014 Taipei mayoral election,^[1][11] which Yao accepted.^[12] In his role as campaign manager, Yao filed a lawsuit against Lo Shu-lei [zh] for defamation, as Lo had claimed that Ko was involved in corruption, tax evasion, and money laundering while working as a physician at National Taiwan University Hospital.^[13] Ko's campaign later alleged that opposing candidate Sean Lien's campaign had wiretapped Ko's campaign office. In response, Lien's campaign manager Alex Tsai filed a lawsuit against Yao and other members of Ko's campaign staff.^[14] After Ko won the Taipei mayoralty, Yao again returned to political commentary.^[15][16] Yao later appeared alongside Ko in a February 2015 rally organized to support Tsai's recall as a legislator [zh].^[15] Prior to the 2018 Taipei City Council election, Yao opined that there were many swing voters in Taipei, negating the city as a Kuomintang stronghold.^[17] Yao Li-ming split with Ko, and offered his support and services as a campaign manager to Pasuya Yao instead.^[18][19]

References

1. Wang, Chris (17 July 2014). "Ko Wen-je trying to recruit Yao Li-ming for campaign". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
2. "Yao Li-ming (3)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
3. Hsu, Crystal (24 April 2001). "New Party fighting for its life as elections approach". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
4. Ko, Shu-ling (17 October 2008). "Chen Shui-bian files suit against political pundit". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
5. Shih, Hsiao-kuang (17 December 2007). "Small parties unhappy with airtime". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
6. "〈快訊〉不分區立委開票結果 一覽表" (in Chinese). TVBS. 12 January 2008.
7. Wang, Flora (21 July 2008). "Watchdog releases report on legislature". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
8. Gerber, Abraham (8 August 2016). "Groups push for end to 'recommended' budget allocations". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
9. Hsieh, Wen-hua; Tseng, Wei-chen; Loa, Iok-sin (5 June 2009). "TIANANMEN 20 YEARS ON: FEATURE: Group battles apathy to remember victims". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
10. Wang, Chris (7 August 2012). "Tsai Ing-wen announces launch of new foundation". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
11. Liu, Shih-chung (30 July 2014). "Ko Wen-je upholds fresh image". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
12. Hsiao, Alison (18 July 2014). "Yao to lead Ko's campaign team". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
13. Hsiao, Alison (11 September 2014). "Lo Shu-lei accuses Ko of corruption". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
14. Shih, Hsiu-chuan; Loa, Iok-sin (25 November 2014). "KMT's Alex Tsai files wiretapping suit". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
15. Gerber, Abraham; Hsiao, Alison (14 February 2015). "Hundreds rally for recall vote today". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
16. Shih, Hsiu-chuan; Chien, Li-chung (6 March 2015). "Ma willing to testify in donations case". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
17. Lin, Sean (20 February 2018). "FEATURE: 'Third-force' candidates aim to shake KMT's hold on Taipei in year-end vote". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
18. Chen, Wei-han (31 January 2018). "Yao not planning to pull out of DPP to seek election". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
19. Lee, I-chia (1 February 2018). "Ko says he respects Yao Li-ming's choice for mayor". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 January 2022.