Lai was born on 6 October 1959,[1] inWanli, a rural coastal town in northern Taipei County (nowNew Taipei City).[2] He was the youngest child in a poor family of five children.[3] His mother, Lai Tong-hao (賴童好), was the daughter of a local landlord. His father, Lai Chao-chin (賴朝金), was a poor coal miner whose parents immigrated fromGukeng,Yunlin.[4] Theirancestral home was inBanzai, Fujian; his paternal ancestors migrated from Fujian to Taiwan during theTongzhi era.[5] When Lai was two years old,[6] his father died ofcarbon monoxide poisoning[7] in amining accident.[8] Afterwards, Lai's widowed mother raised him and his siblings as asingle parent in a two-story dwelling.[2]
In 1994, while still working as a chief physician, Lai became the chairman of a Tainan physicians' association which supportedChen Ding-nan's bid for theGovernorship of Taiwan Province.[24] Although the campaign was unsuccessful, Chen became a political mentor to Lai and inspired him to abandon his medical career in order to enter politics instead.[25]
Against his mother's wishes, Lai left his medical practice after witnessing theThird Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1995–1996. He ran for election in 1996 and won a seat to representTainan City in theNational Assembly.[26] In that year's assembly election, he was the candidate who won the most votes in Tainan.[27] As an assembly legislator, Lai campaigned to abolish the National Assembly,[27] and led efforts to amend the constitution to freeze theTaiwan Provincial Government.[28]
Lai joined theNew Tide faction and stood as a candidate in the1998 Legislative Yuan election, representing the Democratic Progressive Party in the second ward of Tainan City.[29][21] He was successful in this election, and subsequently was reelected three times in2001,2004, and2008. In total he served 11 years as a legislator, and was selected as Taiwan's "Best Legislator" four times in a row byTaipei-based NGO Citizen Congress Watch.[30]
With the 2010 reorganization of the municipalities in Taiwan, Tainan City andTainan County were amalgamated into a single municipality, calledTainan. After successfully being selected in theDemocratic Progressive Party (DPP) primaries in January 2010,[31] Lai stood as the DPP candidate for themayoral election on 27 November 2010, gaining 60.41% to defeatKuomintang candidate Kuo Tien-tsai.[32][33] He took office on 25 December 2010.
Lai prioritized fiscal sustainability by implementingzero-based budgeting and abolishing the discretionary project funds for city councillors.[34] This move, while triggering significant political friction with theTainan City Council,[35] ultimately helped the city reduce its overall debt and achieve a balanced budget by 2015.[34] His infrastructure agenda focused on regional integration and disaster resilience; he consolidated fragmented transit routes into six major bus trunk lines in 2013 and implemented a ten-year flood protection standard.[36][37]
As a result of his strong showing in the mayoral election, coupled with his relative youth and his leadership of the DPP heartland city of Tainan, Lai was considered a potential candidate for a presidential run in 2016.[38] Several opinion polls ranked Lai as the most popular of the 22 city and county heads in Taiwan.[39][40][41] During this period of high approval, Lai made a two-day visit toShanghai in June 2014 to inaugurate an exhibition for the late Taiwanese painterTan Ting-pho.[42][43] During the trip, he met withChinese Communist Party officials and notably spoke atFudan University, where he stated that Taiwanese independence was a widespread consensus in Taiwan, emphasizing the importance of democratic self-determination.[44][45][46]
Lai stood for reelection on 29 November 2014 against Huang Hsiu-shuang of the Kuomintang. His opponent was considered to have such an uphill task in the DPP stronghold that she rode a black horse through the streets of Tainan as an election stunt; a hopeful allusion to her status as a "dark horse".[47] Lai, on the other hand, did not plan many campaign activities, choosing to focus on mayoral duties.[48] He eventually won the election by 45 percentage points,[49][50] the largest margin of victory in any of themunicipal races in the election.[51]
In 2015, Mayor Lai and his administration sparked a localized constitutional crisis by boycotting theTainan City Council for nearly eight months.[52][53] Beginning in early January, Lai refused to attend council sessions to protest the election of Speaker Lee Chuan-chiao, who was then facing vote-buying allegations. This unprecedented standoff led theControl Yuan to impeach Lai on 4 August, 2015, ruling that his refusal to submit to interpellation violated the Local Government Act and undermined the democratic system of checks and balances.[54][55] The political deadlock coincided with Taiwan'sdengue fever outbreak, which centered in Tainan and resulted in over 22,000 infections and 112 deaths in the city that year.[56][57] On 28 August, amid the escalating epidemic, Lai announced that his reform efforts had achieved preliminary goals and returned to the council to deliver a report.[53][58] The case was subsequently referred to the Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Functionaries under theJudicial Yuan, which issued an admonition to Lai for his actions.[59][60]
Lai stepped down as Mayor in September 2017, after being appointed to the Premiership.[61] He was succeeded in acting capacity byLee Meng-yen.[62][63]
Premier Lai leads the cabinet during the swearing-in ceremony
In September 2017, PremierLin Chuan tendered his resignation to PresidentTsai Ing-wen. A poll showed Lin's approval rating to be a mere 28.7%, with 6 in 10 respondents dissatisfied with the performance of his cabinet.[64] On 5 September, President Tsai announced at a press conference that Lai would become the country's next head of the Executive Yuan.[65]
Lai took office on 8 September as thePremier of the Republic of China.[66] Following his appointment, Tsai's approval ratings reached 46%, rebounding by more than 16 points since August.[67] Lai made his first appearance as premier at theLegislative Yuan on 26 September, becoming the first premier to openly advocate for Taiwan independence in the legislature.[68][69] He stated that he was a political worker who advocated for Taiwan independence, but argued that Taiwan was already an independent sovereign nation called the Republic of China and therefore did not need a separate declaration of independence.
During his tenure as premier, Lai styled his cabinet as one of "practical action."[70] To address economic bottlenecks and facilitate Taiwanese businesses returning from China amid theChina–United States trade war, he launched initiatives to resolve the "five shortages"—land, water, power, talent, and labor.[71][72] In the early months of his premiership, Lai enjoyed high public support; by October 2017, surveys showed his approval ratings reaching as high as 68.8%,[73] while another poll during the same period recorded 58% satisfaction against 21% dissatisfaction.[74]
However, this momentum shifted as his administration faced intense criticism over the second amendment to the Labor Standards Act, which was perceived as a rollback of labor rights.[75][76][77] His public image was further strained in November 2017 by the "Merit" controversy, where his suggestion that low-paid caregivers should view their work as "performing an act of merit" led to widespread backlash among the youth and the satirical renaming of the Executive Yuan as the "Merit Yuan" by protesters.[78][79][80] Further leadership strain was caused by his defense of theShen'ao Power Plant expansion using "clean coal" and theNational Taiwan University presidential selection dispute,[81][82][83] the latter of which led to the successive resignations of threeMinisters of Education within a single year.[84][85][86]
Lai (center) with Ethan Tu (left) andHuang Wei-che (right) in January 2019
These controversies were reflected in a steady decline of public support. By mid-2018, Lai's approval ratings dropped to the 40% range, with his dissatisfaction rating beginning to eclipse his satisfaction rating for the first time.[87] By the end of the year, his approval rating further declined to a record low of 37%, while his dissatisfaction reached 49%.[88][89] Following theDemocratic Progressive Party's heavy defeat in the2018 local elections—in which the party's total number of governed seats dropped from 13 to 6, including the loss of its long-held stronghold inKaohsiung and the key municipality ofTaichung—Lai tendered his resignation in November 2018.[90] Although President Tsai Ing-wen initially requested him to stay, Lai remained in office to stabilize the government until the general budget was cleared by the Legislative Yuan.[91][92] On 11 January 2019, Lai and his cabinet resigned en masse, and he was succeeded bySu Tseng-chang.[93][94]
Although Lai had previously expressed no intention of challenging Tsai Ing-wen in the 2020 presidential election,[95] he registered for the Democratic Progressive Party primary on 18 March 2019, stating that he could shoulder the responsibility of leading Taiwan in defending itself from being annexed by China.[96] This is the first time in Taiwanese history where a serious primary challenge has been mounted against a sitting president.[97] The results of the DPP's primary poll released on 13 June shown that Tsai defeated Lai by winning 35.67 percent of the vote over Lai's 27.48 percent, officially becoming the DPP's presidential candidate for the 2020 election.[98]
In November 2019, Lai accepted President Tsai's offer to become her running mate for the2020 presidential election.[99][100][101] Tsai secured over 57% of the ballot, winning a record 8.17 million votes in the election and began her second term in 2020.[102][103]
During his vice presidency, Lai served as President Tsai Ing-wen's special envoy to Honduras for presidentXiomara Castro's inauguration in January 2022.[104] After the assassination of former Japanese prime ministerShinzo Abe, he made a private trip to Tokyo to pay his respects and became Taiwan's most senior official to visit Japan in five decades.[105] In November 2022, Lai led representatives of Taiwan's travel agencies and industry associations toPalau to foster collaborations between the two countries.[106]
In November 2022, President Tsai resigned as leader of DPP after the party's heavy losses inlocal elections.[107] Lai officially registered as a candidate for the DPP chair election in December.[108] Since Lai was the only candidate running, he became the newchairman of the DPP in 2023.[109][110]
In March 2023, Lai registered as the only person to run in the DPP's 2024 presidential primary and was officially nominated by the ruling party in April.[111][112] On 21 November 2023, Lai formally registered his campaign at theCentral Election Commission along with his running mate,Louise Hsiao.[113] Lai claimed victory in a three-way race on 13 January 2024, marking the first time that a political party had won three consecutive presidential terms sincedirect elections were first held in 1996.[114] However, the DPP lost its majority in thelegislative election.[115]
On 13 January 2024, Lai Ching-te was electedpresident of the Republic of China with approximately 40% of the vote,[116] and wasinaugurated on 20 May 2024.[117] Lai appointedCho Jung-tai, ruling party's former chairman, as the new premier.[118] In the parliamentary election his party DPP secured 51 seats while the two opposition parties KMT and TPP won 52 and 8 respectively, resulting in aminority government.[119]
In May 2024, the KMT-TPPcoalition passed parliamentary bills strengthening parliamentary power in investigation and review, sparking strong opposition from the DPP and massive protests by DPP supporters. Lai subsequently filed a constitutional challenge which the court later upheld in June, declaring the bills unconstitutional.[120]
In September,Ko Wen-je the leader of the TPP was arrested and investigated for bribery allegations, which was claimed aspolitical persecution by TPP and divided public opinion in Taiwan.[121]Huang Kuo-chang then became the new TPP leader and continued to strengthen collaboration with the KMT, including the revisions to the Constitutional Interpretation Act, the Election and Recall Act and the Budget Act, further restricting government power.[122] Following the expiration of seven justices' terms in late 2024, the Constitutional Court entered a period of functional paralysis after theLegislative Yuan rejected President Lai's new nominees.[123][124]
In early to mid-2025, the DPP, led by Lai, supported the2025 Taiwanese mass electoral recall campaigns, which eventually failed to recall any opposition party legislators, despite initial optimism among DPP supporters.[125][126] Lai's disapproval rating began to surpass his approval rating.[127][128]
His government also banned Taiwanese people from using the Chinese social media appRednote, which was used by 29% of the population, due to a fraud risk, leading to disapproval over the ban.[129][130]
On 26 November, Lai Ching-te and his defense minister,Wellington Koo, announced a new special budget for Taiwan to purchase weapons from the United States, which over the next several years will reach T$1.25 trillion (US$39.89 billion).[131][132][133]
Lai failed to promulgate a legal amendment that would have allowed local governments to receive a larger share of government revenues, arguing that the legislation would hurt Taiwan's fiscal sustainability. Premier Cho had declined to countersign the legislation on 15 December, which Lai cited as the pretext for not publicly announcing the law.[137] This was the unprecedented in the constitutional history of Taiwan and faced strong opposition from KMT and TPP.[138] Opposition parties criticized Lai's governance by comparing him toYuan Shikai, a historical figure associated with autocratic rule, and subsequently announced their intention to initiateimpeachment proceedings against him [zh] in the Legislative Yuan.[139][140]
After Lai failed to promulgate the legal amendment, the oppositionKuomintang (KMT) andTaiwan People's Party (TPP) began impeachment proceedings.[141] On 23 December 2025, they confirmed they would propose an impeachment motion at aplenary session.[142] On 26 December, the motion to initiate the process passed, with all KMT and TPP members in support and all DPP members against.[143]
Lai with former U.S. Vice PresidentMike Pence on 17 January 2025
Under Lai, Taiwan continued the previous administration'sNew Southbound Policy, signing an investment pact withThailand in June 2024. Thailand became the fifth trading partner to sign an investment agreement with Taiwan since the announcement of the policy in 2016.[144] Facing theTrump administration's imposition of tariffs on Taiwan under the banner of "reciprocal tariffs," Lai announced plans to increase procurement from and investment in the United States, in addition to eliminating trade barriers.[145][146]
Lai stated that the ROC and the PRC are not subordinate to each other.[147] He reaffirmed the island's commitment to resisting PRC's annexation, emphasizing its sovereignty during National Day celebrations. He also expressed hopes for dialogue with Beijing, despite ongoing military pressure and tensions.[148][149] In 2025, Lai announced plans to reinstate military trials for active-duty personnel and labeled the PRC a "foreign hostile force" under theAnti-Infiltration Act.[150][151]
After stepping down as premier in 2019, Lai stated that the currentConstitution of the ROC was originally drafted for China rather than being tailor-made for Taiwan.[157] He noted that despite subsequent constitutional amendments in Taiwan, systemic issues persist. Furthermore, he argued that the tension between "Great China" ideologies and the consciousness of Taiwan as a "community of common destiny" continues to impact national unity. One year later, when Lai was elected vice president in 2020, he stated that while the ROC was founded in 1912, that version of the state no longer exists; he argued that through more than a century of history, the ROC has been reborn in Taiwan.[158] During the 2024 presidential election debate, Lai drew criticism for questioning whether the ROC or the ROC Constitution could serve as a guardian forcross-strait relations.[159][160] He specifically sparked controversy by asking whether treating the ROC as a safeguard would instead bring disaster to Taiwan.
As president, Lai has asserted that the representatives who drafted the original ROC Constitution were not chosen through a popular vote by the people of Taiwan; he maintains that it was not until the seven subsequent constitutional amendments that the Taiwanese people became the primary subjects of the constitutional framework.[161] Lai treats "Republic of China," "Taiwan," and "Republic of China Taiwan" as interchangeable names for the nation.[162] He believes that retaining the name "Republic of China" helps foster unity within Taiwanese society because the name is enshrined in the constitution.[163] Whether one identifies with "Taiwan" or the "Republic of China," he argues that these perspectives should be mutually respected; ultimately, both refer to the 23 million people of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu.
Lai has consistently maintained that the ROC and the PRC are "not subordinate to each other."[147] In September 2024, Lai challenged the PRC's justification for its claims over Taiwan, arguing that if "territorial integrity" were Beijing's primary concern, it would also seek to reclaim territories ceded to Russia under the 19th-centuryTreaty of Aigun.[164][165] Lai asserted that the PRC's true objective is not territorial but strategic, aimed at overturning the rules-based international order and establishing hegemony in the West Pacific. At a 2024 National Day event, he introduced what media termed the "Motherland Theory," arguing that because the ROC was founded in 1912 and the PRC in 1949, the PRC cannot logically be the motherland of the older ROC's citizens.[147] In 2025, he labeled the PRC a "foreign hostile force,"[151] claiming that a real advocate of the ROC must oppose theChinese Communist Party, while a real advocate of Taiwan must safeguard Taiwan.[166]
Lai advocates strengthening Taiwan's relations with theUnited States and otherliberal democracies,[167] seeking to construct a "democratic umbrella" and establish democratic industrial supply chains.[168][169] Lai opposed the rhetoric of "America skepticism," stating that allowing ill-intentioned individuals to deliberately spark skepticism toward the U.S. and turn it into a social consensus would be extremely detrimental to Taiwan.[170][171]
Lai marriedWu Mei-ju in 1986. Wu worked forTaipower, and was based in Tainan until Lai was elected mayor of the city, and she transferred to Kaohsiung.[172][173] The couple raised two sons.[174]
Lai′s first grandson was born in the United States in 2020.[175]
^2009民進黨提名縣市長候選人連結 (in Chinese). Democratic Progressive Party. 17 September 2010. Archived fromthe original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved30 November 2010.
^陪同高雄立委聯合登記 賴清德：國會過半 蔡總統更有實力守護台灣 卓榮泰：再次八仙過海，贏下高雄戰場.民主進步黨 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 19 November 2019.Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved21 November 2019.民主進步黨主席卓榮泰今（19）日早前往高雄，與副總統參選人賴清德，出席「八仙過海、高雄大贏」民進黨高雄市8席立委聯合登記記者會，與民進黨8位高雄市立委參選人邱議瑩、邱志偉、劉世芳、林岱樺、李昆澤、趙天麟、許智傑和賴瑞隆登記參選。
^"Beijing 'interferes daily' in Taiwan's election, says Tsai Ing-wen".South China Morning Post. 19 November 2019.Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved21 November 2019.China sailed an aircraft carrier group through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Sunday, the same day Tsai announced her running mate, former premier Lai Ching-te, who has angered Beijing with his pro-independence comments.
^Teng, Pei-ju (27 December 2023)."ELECTION 2024/Lai's wife makes rare public appearance to endorse husband".Central News Agency.Archived from the original on 28 December 2023. Retrieved28 December 2023.After marrying Lai in 1986, Wu maintained her low-key lifestyle even after her husband entered politics in the 1990s. According to local media reports, Wu applied to be transferred from Taiwan Power Company's Tainan office to Hsinta Power Plant in Kaohsiung after Lai was elected Tainan mayor in 2010 to avoid any conflict of interest.
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