Breakthrough Forum 2025: Taiwan’s Political Landscape After the Mass Recall: Toward Authoritarianism or Checks and Balances？
As voting begins for the mass recall launched by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) against Kuomintang (KMT) legislators, Taiwan faces an unprecedented democratic event: a ruling party initiating a wholesale recall of opposition lawmakers. More critically, the outcome of the recall and by-elections could reshape Taiwan’s political landscape. If the DPP succeeds in flipping the legislature from minority to majority, will the Lai administration grow more authoritarian? Conversely, if the KMT–TPP alliance retains its majority, can it effectively check the executive branch and prevent President Lai from overreach?
Is this mass recall a deepening of democratic practices or a descent into extreme political polarization? If legislative checks and balances collapse, and President Lai is free to implement his political will, what kind of tomorrow awaits Taiwan? These are questions worthy of collective, rational reflection.
To explore this issue, the Fair Winds Foundation will hold a forum on June 21, 2025, with Chairman Jiang Yi-Huah as moderator. Speakers include former Legislator Cheng Li-Wen, incumbent Legislator Chang Chi-Kai (TPP), Professor Shih Cheng-Feng of National Dong Hwa University, and Professor Liu Chia-Wei of the Department of Public Administration, National Taipei University. They will analyze the institutional design, political maneuvering, likely outcomes, and broader implications of the recall for Taiwan’s future governance.
Time: Saturday, June 21, 2025, 2:30–4:30 PM
Venue: Socrates Hall, GIS NTU Convention Center (B1, No. 85, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106)
Organized by: Fair Winds Foundation
Co-sponsor: The Storm Media
Contact: (02) 2752-1700
與會來賓
Jiang Yi-huah is Bauhinia Chair Professor at the Institute for Strategic and International Affairs, National Chung Cheng University, and chairman of the Fair Winds Foundation. Born in Keelung, Taiwan, Professor Jiang holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Political Science from National Taiwan University and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University. Born in Keelung, Taiwan, he has served as Associate Research Fellow at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences; Associate Professor, Professor, and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Political Science at NTU; and Professor of Public Policy at City University of Hong Kong. Between 2008 and 2014, he held various senior government positions, including Minister of the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission, Minister of the Interior, vice premier, and premier of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Professor Jiang’s research focuses on political philosophy, liberalism, democratic theory, national identity, and Taiwan’s political development. Among his major publications are Liberalism, Nationalism, and National Identity (Yang-Chih, 1998), Essays on Liberalism and Democracy (Linking Books, 2000), and Nationalism and Democratic Politics (NTU Press, 2003). He has received several accolades, including the Distinguished Teaching Award from NTU (2001) and the Outstanding Research Award from Taiwan’s National Science Council (2002).
Cheng Li-wen formerly served in the 7th (2005-2008) and 10th Legislative Yuan (2016-2020), as spokesperson of the Executive Yuan (2012-2014), and delegate to the third National Assembly (1996-2000). She previously undertook doctoral studies in international relations at the University of Cambridge.
Cheng is author of Taiwan’s Green Energy Literacy Reader, translator of Global Green New Deal: A Plan for Climate and Economic Transformation.
Education
National Chiayi Senior High School
Department of Sociology, College of Law and Business, National Chung Hsing University
M.A. in Political Science, National Taiwan University
Thesis (2010): “A Political-Economic Analysis of Taiwan’s Special Budget System, 1949–2008”
Experience
Media (1987–present):
Reporter for China Times, covering the Office of the President, Executive Yuan, Legislative Yuan, Ministry of the Interior, and Taipei City Government
Host of various televised political commentary programs: BCC Formosa Network’s Lunchtime with Chang Chi-Kai (2004), TVBS 2100 Weekend Forum (since 2005), TVBS News News Unlike Others (2007–2008), TVBS Sichuan Earthquake Fundraising Gala (2008), CTV and CTi News Chang Chi-Kai News Live, Taiwan Weekly (2009–2011), CTV Cross-Strait Dialogue, New Cross-Strait News (2009–2011), CTi Star Avenue New Taiwan (2011), Era News News Chase (approx. 2011), ETTV Finance Chi-Kai Talks Politics (2019–2020), China Times Online Flag Chi-Kai Wins (2020–present)
Politics & Public Affairs:
2010: Joined Eric Chu’s New Taipei City mayoral campaign team
2019: President of Excellent Media
2020: Secretary-General, Changhua County Industrial Development and Investment Promotion Association
February 2024: Appointed Director of the TPP Chiayi Chapter; elected legislator the same year
Honors and Publications
Honors:
1993: Voted Best Legislative Reporter by the Legislative Yuan
1994: Received First Prize, Wu Shun-Wen Journalism Award, for budget reporting
2006: Invited speaker at the National Academy for Civil Service
2010: Master’s thesis awarded at NTU
2015: Named Distinguished Alumnus, National Taipei University
Selected Publications:
The Treasury Under Siege: Decoding the Budget Black Box (1995)
The Treasury Under Siege: Interpreting the National Budget (1996)
Saving the Treasury: What You Should Know About Government Spending (2002)
A Tale of Two Cities: Frank Hsieh and Ma Ying-jeou’s Political Crossover (2005, co-author)
Saving Your Tax Money (2012)
Shih Cheng-Feng is a political scientist and freelance writer. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Ohio State University, an M.A. in Political Science from Iowa State University, and a B.A. in Agricultural Economics from National Taiwan University. He previously served as Dean of the College of Indigenous Studies at NDHU and Chair of the Department of Public Administration at Tamkang University.
His main academic focus is international relations, with expertise in comparative foreign policy and international political economy. His secondary concentration is comparative politics, specializing in ethnic politics. His research interests include peace studies, nationalism, party politics, electoral systems, and economic development.
His articles have appeared in publications such as China Times, United Daily News, and Taiwan International Studies Quarterly. He is the author of approximately 30 books, including Ethnic Identity of the Taiwanese, The Search for Self and Ethnic Identity, and The Way Americans Make Friends.
Liu Chia-Wei earned her bachelor's degree in Journalism and later a Ph.D. in Political Science, both from National Chengchi University. She is currently a professor at National Taipei University, specializing in political communication, electoral and voting behavior, opinion polling, and social media big data analysis.
She has served as a commissioner of the Central Election Commission, a member of the Taipei City Government’s Public Opinion Advisory Committee, a commissioner at the Taichung City Government’s Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, and Director of the Center for Public Opinion and Electoral Research at NTPU’s College of Public Affairs.
Her published works include Political Communication, Media Preferences and the Unification–Independence Stance of the Taiwanese Public, and Hakka Electoral Politics: An Analysis of Voting Decision Factors Among the Hakka Ethnic Group. She is also co-editor of National Governance: Key Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities