Liu Chien-kuo

Liu Chien-kuo (Chinese: 劉建國; pinyin: Liú Jiànguó; born 9 March 1969) is a Taiwanese politician. A former member of the Yunlin County Council, he has represented Yunlin County in the Legislative Yuan since 2009.

Liu Chien-kuo MLY
劉建國
Member of the Legislative Yuan
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 October 2009
Preceded by	Chang Sho-wen
Constituency	Yunlin 2
Personal details
Born	9 March 1969 Douliu, Yunlin County, Taiwan
Political party	Democratic Progressive Party
Alma mater	National Open University Meiho University

Education

Liu has earned two bachelor's degrees, one from National Open University in public administration and the other from Meiho University in social work.[1]

Political career

Liu served on the Yunlin County Council before running for a legislative seat in 2008.[2][3] In January 2008, he filed a lawsuit against Chang Sho-wen, accusing Chang of bribery.[4] He had lost to the Kuomintang candidate in the legislative elections held that month and in June 2009, Chang's election was annulled.[5] Liu faced Lee Ying-yuan in a primary, and received the official backing of the Democratic Progressive Party.[6][7] A by-election for Chang's vacated seat was held in September, and Liu won handily.[8] In 2011, he joined the DPP-affiliated Our Generation Alliance led by Koo Kwang-ming.[9] Liu's successful 2012 reelection campaign featured a hunger strike.[10] Liu was a DPP candidate for the Yunlin County Magistracy in 2014, but ended his campaign after losing the party primary to Lee Chin-yung.[11][12] He returned to the legislature in 2016.

Political positions

Many farmers in Liu's home district raise pigs.[13] To help them, he has spoken out against "free economic pilot zones" that he believe hurts Taiwan's agricultural sector.[14] Liu has repeatedly attempted to amend environmental laws in Taiwan. His proposed changes include developing a system to track pollutant emissions,[15] and asking the Environmental Protection Administration to specifically track air quality in high-risk areas, such as in temples in which incense is burned.[16] Liu has specifically focused on passing legislation related to harmful particulates in the air.[17][18] He has also participated in environmental protests,[19] and have provided a platform for environmental groups to criticize industrial companies such as Formosa Petrochemical Corporation.[20] On the subject of United States beef imports in Taiwan, Liu repeatedly stated throughout his first term in office that he is against the use of ractopamine in animal feed and does not wish for the government to lift the ban on ractopamine by executive order,[21][22] but only by legislative consent.[23] In 2012, he suggested that military personnel switch to eating pork instead of beef due to the ractopamine issue, a stance that was ridiculed online and which the military described as excessive.[24]

Personal life

Liu and Chang Sho-wen, who have faced each other in two elections, fought while attending a banquet in 2015.[25]

Liu announced in June 2016 that his personal relationship with Adrean Lee, whom he and Chang had both dated, had ended.[26]

References

1. "Who's Who in the ROC" (PDF). Executive Yuan. p. 187. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
2. Chuang, Jimmy (November 4, 2007). "TSU's Yin willing to run for DPP to win election". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
3. Liu, John (December 21, 2015). "Western DPP candidates for Legislature ride on Tsai's coattails". China Post. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
4. Chang, Rich (December 2, 2008). "KMT supporting corruption: Chai". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
5. "Election of KMT lawmaker Chang annulled". China Post. July 1, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
6. Chang, Rich (July 5, 2009). "DPP to announce its candidates for year-end elections". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
7. "DPP to nominate Liu in legislative by-election". Taiwan Today. July 13, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
8. Ko, Shu-ling (September 27, 2009). "DPP's Liu wins by landslide in Yunlin". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
9. Chao, Vincent Y. (May 6, 2011). "New pan-green political action group established". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
10. Wang, Chris (January 12, 2012). "DPP alleges that police, judiciary showing bias". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
11. Wang, Chris (August 29, 2013). "DPP heavyweights to negotiate party primaries". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
12. Wang, Chris (October 31, 2013). "Lee Chin-yung wins DPP's Yunlin primary". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
13. Loa, Iok-sin (April 23, 2016). "Future Cabinet spokesman stands by minister-designate's import comments". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
14. Loa, Iok-sin (March 30, 2013). "Farming activists call for halt to plans for FEPZs". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
15. Lin, Sean (May 12, 2015). "Gridlock stymies PM2.5 reform". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
16. Chen, Wei-han (March 18, 2016). "Central Taiwan may be marked air pollution control zone". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
17. Lin, Sean (March 17, 2015). "EPA urged to step up fight against pollution". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
18. "Legislators propose adding PM2.5 to disaster act". Taipei Times. April 5, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
19. Lin, Sean (June 7, 2015). "Nationwide rallies decry air pollution". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
20. Lee, I-chia (September 18, 2012). "Ban expansion by Formosa: groups". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
21. Shih, Hsiu-chuan; Wang, Chris (February 25, 2012). "DPP, TSU boycott premier's policy address". Retrieved June 16, 2016.
22. Shih, Hsiu-chuan (March 8, 2012). "Lawmakers grill DOH minister over beef policy". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
23. Ko, Shu-ling; Hsu, Jenny W.; Mo, Yan-chih; Wang, Flora (October 29, 2009). "Lawmakers turn up heat on US beef". Taipei Times.
24. "Proposal that soldiers eat 1kg of pork a day panned". Taipei Times. March 22, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
25. Loa, Iok-sin (June 11, 2015). "Political rivals exchange blows, deny romantic feud". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
26. Chan, Shih-hung; Tseng, Wei-chen; Chung, Jake; Loa, Iok-sin (June 2, 2016). "Liu Chien-kuo says his romance with Adrean Lee is over". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.