Lai Ching‑te | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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賴清德 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th President of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 20 May 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premier | Cho Jung-tai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice President | Hsiao Bi-khim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tsai Ing-wen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 18 January 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary General | Hsu Li-ming Yang Yi-shan (acting) Lin Yu-chang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Chen Chi-mai (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th Vice President of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 May 2020 – 20 May 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Tsai Ing-wen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Chen Chien-jen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Hsiao Bi-khim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29th Premier of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 8 September 2017 – 14 January 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Tsai Ing-wen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice Premier | Shih Jun-ji | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Lin Chuan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Su Tseng-chang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st Mayor of Tainan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 December 2010 – 7 September 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Hsu He-chun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established[a] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Li Meng-yen (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Legislative Yuan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 February 2008 – 25 December 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Tainan II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 February 1999 – 31 January 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Tainan City | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 October 1959 Wanli, Taipei County, Taiwan (now Wanli, New Taipei City, Taiwan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 賴清德 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 赖清德 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lai Ching-te (Chinese: 賴清德; born 6 October 1959), also known as William Lai, is a Taiwanese politician and former physician who is currently serving as the 8th president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) since May 2024. He is the third member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to assume the office of president and the first whose predecessor was also a DPP member. He is also the third incumbent vice president to succeed to the presidency and the first to assume the office through election instead of immediate succession. He has also served as the chair of the DPP since 2023.
Born to a working-class family in Taipei County, Lai studied rehabilitation and public health at universities in Taipei, ultimately obtaining a master's degree from Harvard University in 2003. After serving as the president of the National Physician Support Association, Lai ran in the 1996 Legislative Yuan election, winning a seat representing Tainan City. After being re-elected to the Legislative Yuan four consecutive times, Lai ran for Mayor of Tainan in 2010. Lai won and served as mayor for seven years, winning reelection in 2014. In September 2017, President Tsai Ing-wen announced Lai would replace outgoing premier Lin Chuan.
On 24 November 2018, Lai announced his intention to resign from the premiership after the Democratic Progressive Party suffered a major defeat in local elections, and left office on 14 January 2019 after the swearing-in of his successor Su Tseng-chang. Lai mounted an unsuccessful challenge against Tsai in the 2019 Democratic Progressive Party presidential primary, then served as Tsai's running mate in the 2020 Taiwan presidential election. In April 2023, Lai was nominated by the DPP as their presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election and was elected with 40.05% of votes. He took office as President on 20 May 2024.
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