Claire Wang

Claire Wang (born 26 April 1979) is a Taiwanese politician. Following the murder of her daughter in March 2016, Wang was named to the Presidential Office Organizing Committee for National Conferences on Judicial Reforms. She subsequently joined the New Power Party and won a seat on the Legislative Yuan in 2020.

Claire Wang

MLY
王婉諭
Member of the Legislative Yuan
Assumed office
1 February 2020
ConstituencyRepublic of China
Personal details
Born (1979-04-26) 26 April 1979
Miaoli County, Taiwan
Political partyNew Power Party (since 2019)
Spouse(s)David Liu
Children4
Alma materNational Taiwan University
University of Southern California
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese王婉諭
Not to be confused with Claire Wong.

Personal life

Claire Wang is a Miaoli County native, born on 26 April 1979.[1] After completing a bachelor's degree in geology at National Taiwan University,[1] she pursued graduate study at the University of Southern California in the United States. Her husband, David Liu, also studied there, and the couple later returned to Taiwan. Liu began working in technology, and Wang remained home, to care for their four children.[2] Liu and Wang's youngest daughter died on 28 March 2016, while traveling with her mother. The child was decapitated by Wang Ching-yu as she rode a bicycle along Huanshan Road in Neihu District on the way to Xihu metro station.[3][4] The child became known as Little Light Bulb, a nickname bestowed by her mother,[2] in media coverage of the case. A visitation was held on 31 March 2016,[5][6] followed by another ceremony on 13 April 2016.[7] After the visitation, Claire Wang received a condolence letter from Annette Lu,[8] and spoke out against the politicalization of her daughter's death with regards to views on capital punishment.[9][10][11] Wang said that she herself "does not support" the death penalty, but also "does not agree" with its abolition.[12]

In November 2016, Claire Wang was invited to take part in the Presidential Office Organizing Committee for National Conferences on Judicial Reforms.[13][14] The sixteen other committee members were businesspeople or legal scholars; Wang served as the sole voice for victims of crime.[15]

After her election to the Legislative Yuan in January 2020, threats against her other children were made online, and she began legal action against the people who made the posts, as well as those who supported the threats.[16]

Wang Ching-yu trial

Prosecutors indicted Wang Ching-yu on charges of homicide and sought the death penalty.[17] The Shilin District Court began hearing Wang Ching-yu's case in June 2016.[18] The first ruling on the case was issued on 12 May 2017; the Shilin District Court sentenced Wang Ching-yu to life imprisonment.[19][20] The Taiwan High Court heard an appeal in July 2018, and upheld the previous ruling.[21] A second appeal in January 2020 retained life imprisonment as a punitive measure.[22] Another appeal to the Supreme Court was dismissed on 15 April 2020.[23] The verdict was final, and maintained that Wang Ching-yu was subject to life imprisonment.[24]

Political career

Claire Wang was ranked third of twelve candidates on the New Power Party proportional representation party list.[25][26][27] Her bid for public office was endorsed by Wu Nien-jen.[28] The New Power Party received over seven percent of the party list vote, and Wang was elected to the Tenth Legislative Yuan.[29][30] Wang secured three votes in an election for Vice President of the Legislative Yuan, losing the office to incumbent deputy speaker Tsai Chi-chang.[31] Wang was elected to the New Power Party's executive council on 29 August 2020, winning the highest vote share.[32]

References
  1. "3號 王婉諭". Liberty Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  2. Chen, Christie (29 March 2016). "Bereaved mother shows forbearance in wake of tragedy". Central News Agency. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  3. Chen, Christie; Yiu, Kai-hsiang; Liu, Chien-pan; Hsieh, Chia-chen (28 March 2016). "'I did not know society is so unsafe': mother of slain child". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  4. Hsu, Sheng-lun; Chin, Jonathan (29 March 2016). "Man decapitates girl in front of mother". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  5. Chen, Christie; Yu, Kai-hsiang (30 March 2016). "Family of 'Little Light Bulb' holding visitation at funeral home". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  6. Chen, Christie (31 March 2016). "Citizens pay respects to deceased child, advocate education and love". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  7. Wu, Hsin-yun; Hou, Elaine (13 April 2016). "Family of 'Little Light Bulb' holds party to bid her farewell". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  8. Yeh, Sophia; Liu, Kay (3 April 2016). "Ex-VP's card inspires mother of slain girl". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  9. Liao, Jen-kai; Kao, Evelyn (30 March 2016). "Group denies death penalty rally result of 'Little Light Bulb' case". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  10. Chen, Ping-hung (11 April 2016). "Taipei rally endorses the death penalty". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  11. Pan, Jason (31 March 2016). "Mother of slain girl urges public to donate to charity". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  12. Gerber, Abraham (3 April 2016). "Random Killing Aftermath: Poll shows 80 percent back harsher sentences". Taipei Times. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  13. Chen, Christie (19 November 2016). "Society needs to have multiple voices heard: mother of slain child". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  14. Lu, Hsin-hui; Chang, S.C. (21 November 2016). "17 named to organize judicial reform conferences". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  15. Pan, Jason (20 November 2020). "Mother of murdered child joins reform board". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  16. Cheng, Ching-yi (14 January 2020). "NPP's Claire Wang starts legal action over threats". Taipei Times. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  17. You, Kai-hsiang; Low, Y.F. (23 May 2016). "Prosecutors seek death for killer of 'Little Light Bulb' (update)". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  18. Pan, Jason (24 June 2016). "Trial on murder of four-year-old starts". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  19. Pan, Jason (13 May 2016). "Killer of 'Little Light Bulb' gets life prison term". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  20. Liu, Shih-yi; Low, Y.F. (12 May 2017). "Man gets life sentence for murder of 'Little Light Bulb'". Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  21. Hsiao, Po-wen (3 July 2018). "High Court upholds life sentence for killer of 'Little Light Bulb'". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  22. Liu, Shih-yi; Yeh, Joseph (21 January 2020). "High Court upholds life sentence in murder of 'Little Light Bulb'". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2020. Republished as "High Court upholds life term for 'Little Light Bulb' killer". Taipei Times. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  23. Wu, Su-wei; Shih, Hsiao-kuang; Chung, Jake (14 May 2020). "KMT member sparks public outcry with his criticism of NPP legislator". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  24. Pan, Jason (16 April 2020). "Supreme Court upholds life term for child killer". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  25. Maxon, Ann (13 November 2019). "NPP releases preliminary list of legislative hopefuls". Taipei Times. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  26. Yang, Chun-hui; Hsiao, Sherry (15 November 2019). "DPP sets its legislator-at-large list". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  27. Lin, Liang-sheng; Yang, Chun-hui; Xie, Dennis (24 December 2019). "2020 Elections Analysis: Parties in legislature weigh in on election prospects". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  28. Wu, Su-wei (6 January 2020). "2020 Elections: Generational battle seen in Saturday's polls: Wu Nien-jen". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  29. Lee, I-chia (12 January 2020). "2020 Elections: Taiwan People's Party tops among 'third force' parties". Taipei Times. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  30. Maxon, Ann (13 January 2020). "2020 Elections: NPP thanks supporters, discusses its next moves". Taipei Times. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  31. Lin, Sean (2 February 2020). "DPP's Yu Shyi-kun elected legislative speaker". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  32. Wang, Yang-yu; Lee, Hsin-Yin (29 August 2020). "Kao Yu-ting elected chairwoman of embattled New Power Party". Central News Agency.
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