Liang Wen-chieh
Liang Wen-chieh | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Republic of ChinaMainland Affairs CouncilDeputy Director of Administration and Spokesperson | |
| Assumed office January 31, 2023 Serving with Zhan Zhihong → Shen Youzhong were both in office | |
| Chairman | Chiu Tai-san Chiu Chui-cheng |
| Republic of ChinaStraits Exchange FoundationVice Chairman | |
| Assumed office September 6, 2024 Serving with Luo Wen-jia、Xu Shengxiong | |
| Chairman | Xu Shengxiong Frank Wu (journalist) |
 Taipei City Council11th to 13th Members | |
| In office December 25, 2010 – December 25, 2022 | |
| Constituency | Fourth Electoral District (Zhongshan District, Taipei, Datong District, Taipei) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 26, 1971 TaiwanTaipei County Yonghe Township (New Taipei City Yonghe District) |
| Nationality | Republic of China |
| Spouse | |
Liang Wen-chieh (Chinese: 梁文傑; born November 26, 1971) is a politician of the Republic of China (Taiwan) affiliated with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). He is currently serving as the Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister and Spokesperson, and also as Vice Chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation. He is a member of the New Tide faction of the DPP, and is the husband of incumbent Legislator Lin Chuyin.[1]
Liang previously served as a member of the Taipei City Council from the 11th to 13th terms. He is also known as a scholar and translator, having long worked as a key policy advisor within the DPP, with a focus on cross-strait relations.[2]
His ancestral home is in Dachen Islands, Zhejiang Province, and he is a second-generation descendant of the Dachen evacuees. Liang was one of the leading figures in the Wild Lily student movement.[3]
Early life
[edit]Liang Wen-chieh was born in 1971 in Yonghe, Taipei County (now part of New Taipei City), Taiwan. His parents were among the Dachen evacuees, originally from the Dachen Islands in Zhejiang Province, who relocated to Taiwan in 1955 with the Republic of China Army following the Second Chinese Civil War.
His father worked as a tailor specializing in suits, while his mother was a factory worker. The couple married through traditional matchmaking.
During his studies at Jianguo High School, Liang began exploring leftist political thought. He later passed the national college entrance examination and enrolled in the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan University (NTU), where he became increasingly involved in political activities.
While still a student at NTU, Liang worked part-time in the Policy Research and Coordination Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters. [4]After earning his master's degree from the Graduate Institute of Political Science at NTU, he pursued doctoral studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the United Kingdom.
Political career
[edit]Liang Wen-chieh began his political career as the chief of staff to Lin Cho-shui, then a legislator in the Legislative Yuan. He was also involved in policy planning within the New Tide faction of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
In 1999, Liang participated in drafting the DPP’s "Resolution on Taiwan's Future", a significant party position document on Taiwan's sovereignty. In 2002, he was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the DPP’s Central Policy Council. Two years later, during the 2004 presidential election, he served as Director of the DPP’s Department of Policy Coordination, helping to shape campaign policy in support of President Chen Shui-bian’s re-election.
In the fall of 2005, Liang became the first Secretary-General of the DPP's Cross-Strait Political and Economic Exchange Association. He later served as Chief Executive Officer of the New Society Think Tank and Editor-in-Chief of the New Society Policy bimonthly journal.
While serving as Deputy Director of the DPP’s Department of Chinese Affairs, Liang suggested that the cross-strait issue could be approached with reference to the model of German reunification.
Taipei City Council
[edit]In 2010, Liang Wen-chieh was elected as a member of the Taipei City Council, representing Datong and Zhongshan Districts.In the 2014 election, he was re-elected with the highest number of votes in his constituency.
On May 20, 2015, the DPP Central Executive Committee approved a list of party members to be drafted for the 2016 legislative election in challenging constituencies. Liang was nominated to run in Taipei City Constituency III, which covers Zhongshan and Songshan Districts[5]However, the nomination drew criticism from former DPP Chairman Lin Yi-hsiung, who pointed out that Liang had just been re-elected as a city councilor in late 2014 but was already seeking a legislative seat in 2015.
On June 5, 2015, Liang held a press conference to announce his withdrawal from the race.The DPP later backed independent psychiatrist Pan Chien-cheng (潘建志) in that constituency. However, Lee Yen-jung (李晏榕), a pan-Green candidate, also joined the race, splitting the vote and ultimately allowing Chiang Wan-an of the Kuomintang (KMT) to win the seat with a plurality.
In the 2022 local elections held on November 26, Liang narrowly lost his re-election bid for the city council, trailing independent candidate Lin Liang-jun by just 898 votes. Despite leading in pre-election polls, Liang unexpectedly failed to secure a fourth consecutive term.链接
Mainland Affairs Council
[edit]Liang Wen-chieh has often remarked that "studying mainland China is my profession; politics is my side job." From a young age, he was familiar with modern Chinese and Taiwanese history, and he began researching cross-strait policy early in his career.
In early 2023, under the Chen Chien-jen Cabinet, President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier Chen Chien-jen sought to maintain a stable cross-strait policy, enhance strategic communication, and cultivate a new generation of mid-level experts in mainland affairs. As part of this initiative, Liang was appointed as the Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister on January 31, 2023.
Controversies and public statements
[edit]- In 2011, Liang Wen-chieh and fellow DPP politician Cheng Wen-tsan were accused of accepting hospitality from gambling tycoon Chen Ying-chu (陳盈助) during a trip to Macau, including allegedly visiting high-end entertainment venues. Both Liang and Cheng denied the allegations and filed a defamation lawsuit against Taipei City Councilor Lin Rui-tu (林瑞圖), who had made the claims.[6]However, during a court hearing in May, a representative of Chen’s Macau-based company admitted to having hosted the two politicians, claiming that they dined together and later visited one of the most luxurious hotels in Macau, spending approximately HK$50,000 (around NT$200,000) in a single evening.
- Also in 2011, while serving as a spokesperson for the DPP, Liang publicly accused then-President Ma Ying-jeou of soliciting NT$300 million in political donations from Chen Ying-chu. Ma filed a defamation lawsuit against Liang and the DPP, seeking NT$2 million in damages and a public apology. [7]On October 24, 2017, the Taiwan High Court ruled in Ma’s favor in a retrial, ordering Liang and the DPP to pay NT$1.2 million in damages. The court noted that Liang’s statements had not been properly verified and lacked supporting evidence. In June 2017, the Taiwanese magazine *Next Magazine* published a report alleging that between June 8 and June 21, Liang Wen-chieh had been seen entering and exiting several luxury hotels in Taipei on at least six occasions. The report also claimed that Liang was spotted late at night with a young woman whom he accompanied to what appeared to be her residence, including footage showing him with his arm around her waist. A separate incident in late 2016 was also mentioned, where Liang was reportedly seen speaking intimately in public with another young woman before the two went to a nightclub together.[8][9]
- In June 2018, popular internet personality and fitness coach known as “The Director” (館長) criticized the government over foreign policy and domestic issues such as Taiwan’s high child-rearing costs. This led to a heated exchange with DPP legislator Tuan Yi-kang, and Liang also joined the public debate. Liang made a controversial comment stating, “You don’t need a coach to work out,” which many interpreted as dismissive of professional expertise. The remark sparked backlash on internet forums such as PTT, where critics accused him of disrespecting the fitness profession and devaluing athletic training.[10][11]
- On June 6, 2020, following the successful recall vote against Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT), Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Hsu Kun-yuan died by suicide. In response, Liang posted a message on social media that read, “Scary. Was the bet that big?” — an apparent reference to Hsu’s alleged gambling on the outcome of the recall. The post drew widespread criticism online for its perceived insensitivity. Liang later issued a public apology.
Works Excerpts
[edit]TV Series
[edit]| Year | Playing Platform | Picture Title | Director | Playing | Remarks |
| 2021 | YouTube、Public Television Service | 《Island Nation 2》 | Yi-hsin、Shih-chang、Ta-chun | Councillor | Guest appearance |
Translated
[edit]- Richard H. Solomon，The Solomon Report: A Grand Analysis of China’s Negotiation Behavior (Taipei: Xianjue Publishing House, 2000)ISBN 9789576075506
- Robert Reich，The Temptation of Working Hard: Contradictions and Choices in the New Economy (Taipei: Xianjue Publishing House, 2002)ISBN 9789576077951
- Andrew Zimbalist，"The Curse of the Olympics: How Do Global Sports Events, such as the Olympics and the World Cup, Harm the Tourism, Economy, and Long-term Development of Host Cities?" (Taipei: Baqi Culture, 2016)ISBN 9789865842956
- Minxin Pei，Selling Out China: The Origins of Elite Capitalism and the Collapse of the Communist Party (Taipei: Baqi Culture, 2017)ISBN 9789869486583
- Karen Elliott House，The Heart of the Middle East: Saudi Arabia’s People, Religion, History, and Future (Taipei: Baqi Culture, 2018)ISBN 9789578654068
- Robert Service (historian)，"Unexpected Peace: How did Reagan, Gorbachev and other "Big Four" work together to end the half-century Cold War confrontation?" (Taipei: Baqi Culture, 2021)ISBN 9789865524401
- Clive Hamilton and Ma Xiaoyue, "Black Hand: Exposing How the Chinese Communist Party Reshapes the World" (Taipei: Zuo'an Culture, 2021) ISBN 9789860666601
- Josh Rogin, "The World is in Chaos: The Trump Administration's China Policy, Its Formation, Contradictions and Inside Story" (Taipei: Baqi Culture, 2021) ISBN 9789860763508
- Michael Newman, "Socialism: Oxford Very Short Lecture 002" (Taipei: Zuo'an Culture, 2022) ISBN 9786269606313
- Leslie Holmes, "Communism: Oxford Very Short Lecture 003" (Taipei: Zuo'an Culture, 2022) ISBN 9786269606320
Election Record
[edit]| Year | Election term | Electoral district | Party | Votes | Vote percentage | Elected mark | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The 11th Taipei City Council Election | Taipei City Fourth Electoral District | 21,111 | 11.23% | .svg?lang=en){kind=small}
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| 2014 | The 12th Taipei City Council Election | 26,155 | 13.23% | ||||
| 2018 | The 13th Taipei City Council Election | 17,827 | 9.64% | ||||
| 2022 | The 14th Taipei City Council Election | 12,919 | 7.20% |
Personal life
[edit]- His wife Lin Chuyin is currently a legislator of the Democratic Progressive Party. She was a reporter, news anchor, and deputy director of the political group of the Sanli Television News Department.[12]
- Liang Wenjie also works as an English translator in addition to his official duties and has published many translated works.[13]
- In February 2023, Liang Wenjie's personal Facebook was closed, which was interpreted as being because he served as the deputy director of the Mainland Affairs Council.[14]
Reference
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- ^ "第 ４選舉區（中山、大同）議員候選人" [Candidates for the 4th Electoral District (Zhongshan, Datong)] (PDF).
- ^ 中央通訊社 (2014-06-19). "梁文傑回憶大陳新村的日子 | 特別報導" [Liang Wenjie recalls the days in Dachen New Village]. 中央社 CNA (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ 三立新聞網 (2018-08-31). "高中同學梁文傑：不曾想過會為偉中寫一篇紀念文章 | 政治 | 三立新聞網 SETN.COM" [High school classmate Liang Wenjie: I never thought I would write a memorial article for Weizhong]. www.setn.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "《雙城論壇》梁文傑：柯文哲的兩岸論述不會動搖蔡政府 | 政治" ["Twin Cities Forum" Liang Wenjie: Ke Wenzhe's cross-strait discourse will not shake the Tsai government]. Newtalk新聞 (in Chinese). 2017-06-27. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "陈慧萍. 民進黨第二波立委艱困選區名單今敲定" [The list of the second wave of DPP legislators in difficult constituencies was finalized today.].
- ^ 中時新聞網 (2023-01-30). "鄭文燦、梁文傑遭起底「澳門遊」疑雲 侯友宜這樣說 - 政治" [Zheng Wencan and Liang Wenjie were exposed for their "Macau tour" Hou Youyi said this]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "梁文傑、鄭文燦澳門喝花酒？ 江董：我接待的 | ETtoday政治新聞 | ETtoday新聞雲" [Liang Wenjie and Zheng Wencan drank wine in Macau? Chairman Jiang: I received]. www.ettoday.net (in Traditional Chinese). 2012-06-08. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ 風傳媒. "梁文傑指控馬英九向組頭募款判賠定讞 馬辦：感到欣慰" [Liang Wenjie accused Ma Ying-jeou of soliciting funds from the group leader and was sentenced to compensation. Ma's office: We are relieved]. www.storm.mg (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ 聯合新聞網. "梁文傑指馬英九向組頭募款判賠 羅智強：蔡英文應道歉 | 政治 | 要聞 | 聯合新聞網" [Liang Wenjie accused Ma Ying-jeou of soliciting funds from the group leader and ordered him to pay compensation. Luo Zhiqiang: Tsai Ing-wen should apologize]. 聯合新聞網. Archived from the original on 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ TVBS. "健身不用請教練？ 議員臉書被嗆到關│TVBS新聞網" [No need to hire a trainer for fitness? Member of Parliament's Facebook was shut down due to criticism]. TVBS (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "段宜康、梁文傑槓上館長 孫大千：民進黨是標準「政治黑幫」 | ETtoday政治新聞 | ETtoday新聞雲" [Duan Yikang and Liang Wenjie quarrel over museum director Sun Daqian: The Democratic Progressive Party is a typical "political gang"]. www.ettoday.net (in Traditional Chinese). 2018-06-03. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ 立法院 (2013-07-23). "立法院". 立法院 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ 風傳媒. "3任議員欲更上層樓被迫放棄 梁文傑公餘不忘翻譯英文原典「觀天下」" [3-term legislator wanted to move up a level but was forced to give up. Liang Wenjie never forgot to translate the original English text "Viewing the World" in his spare time]. www.storm.mg (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "梁文傑因對陸立場急轉彎關閉臉書？ 網友酸：時空背景不同之術" [Did Liang Wenjie close his Facebook page because of his sudden change in stance towards China? Netizens mocked: It’s a different art in different time and space backgrounds]. 中天新聞網 (in Chinese). 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2025-06-17.