50 Facts About Hung Hsiu-chu

Hung Hsiu-chu became the first female deputy speaker of the Legislative Yuan.

Hung Hsiu-chu became the Kuomintang's first elected chairwoman later that year, serving until June 2017.

Hung Hsiu-chu succeeded Chu as the Kuomintang's first elected female leader in March 2016 after the defeat of the KMT in the 2016 elections.

Hung Hsiu-chu was born in Taipei County on 7 April 1948 as the second eldest child of the family.

Hung Hsiu-chu's father, Hung Zi-yu, born in Yuyao, Zhejiang, was a victim of political prosecution during the White Terror in Taiwan.

Hung Hsiu-chu attended Dongyuan Elementary School and Taipei Second Girls' High School.

Hung Hsiu-chu excelled in public speaking and storytelling contests even as far back as elementary school and won many awards.

Hung Hsiu-chu's father had high expectations of her to pursue an education in law due to his experience being politically persecuted.

That year, the Ministry of Education extended mandatory public education to nine years and Hung Hsiu-chu began her ten-year career in education.

Hung Hsiu-chu first taught at the Xihu High School of Industry and Commerce, and the following year she started teaching at the Taipei County Municipal Xiufeng Senior High School, serving as Director of Student Affairs.

Hung Hsiu-chu earned her Master of Arts degree in education from Northeast Missouri University in August 1991 in the United States, and she took continuing education coursework at National Chengchi University and National Taiwan Normal University.

Hung Hsiu-chu joined KMT in 11th grade when she was recommended by her dean as an excellent student, and often participated in party activities.

Hung Hsiu-chu insisted on entering the primary and was only able to participate in the events on weekends as a candidate.

Hung Hsiu-chu had her cousin go to the events on weekdays and hold up her poster whenever her name was called as a silent protest of her helpless absence.

Hung Hsiu-chu almost lost her second election term of Legislative Yuan on 19 December 1992 to Jaw Shaw-kong in the same constituency.

Hung Hsiu-chu had joined in 1989 new secondary political coalition within the KMT, but the coalition parted from KMT to form the New Party in 1993 and Hung Hsiu-chu decided to stay with the original KMT.

Hung Hsiu-chu was elected again in the third election term on 2 December 1995 of the legislative campaign.

Taipei County was divided into three constituencies during the fourth election term on 5 December 1998 with too many candidates, therefore Hung Hsiu-chu transferred to the party list and was elected again.

Hung Hsiu-chu again beat the People First Party in the fifth election term on 1 December 2001 and won by marginal votes.

Hung Hsiu-chu ranked first in polls in the sixth election term on 11 December 2004 and won with the second highest number of votes.

Hung Hsiu-chu was again elected to the Legislative Yuan as a party list member in the seventh election term on 12 January 2008.

Hung Hsiu-chu won the election again in the eighth election term on 14 January 2012.

Hung Hsiu-chu has been on the Education and Culture Committee in the Legislative Yuan for many years.

On 27 April 2007, Hung Hsiu-chu joined the KMT chairmanship election, going against former acting KMT Chairman Wu Po-hsiung.

Hung Hsiu-chu was appointed Vice Chairperson of KMT by the KMT Central Standing Committee on 15 February 2012 when the former Vice Chairman Tseng Yung-chuan resigned.

Wu Den-yih was nominated to be the acting Chairman and Hung Hsiu-chu became the acting Secretary-General by the Central Committee on 3 December 2014.

Hung Hsiu-chu was released from the position thereafter on 18 January 2015.

Hung Hsiu-chu made ROC history being the first woman elected to the post and took office on 1 February 2012.

Hung Hsiu-chu added that the forum remains full of enthusiasm and vitality despite the recent setback on the signing of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement from the Sunflower Student Movement.

Hung Hsiu-chu did acknowledge the widening gap between the rich and the poor in Taiwan as well as the younger generations dissatisfaction towards the government that exist in many other countries due to the global trend of moving towards free trade.

Hung Hsiu-chu said that the government would be more open and tolerant to negotiate with the public and take challenges.

On 20 April 2015, Hung Hsiu-chu registered for the KMT presidential primary held prior to the 2016 presidential elections.

Hung Hsiu-chu pledged for fair and open election process under a democratic mechanism.

Hung Hsiu-chu was officially nominated as the KMT presidential candidate during the National Party Congress on 19 July 2015 at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei.

Hung Hsiu-chu would push for a peaceful cross-strait relations based on the 1992 Consensus.

Hung Hsiu-chu started her campaign in Taichung on 23 July 2015.

Hung Hsiu-chu promised to sign a peace agreement that would improve military trust between Taiwan and China.

Hung Hsiu-chu hoped that the mainland will allow Taiwan more opportunities to join international organizations and thereby boost its regional economic strength.

Hung Hsiu-chu pledged to improve the economy through job creation and build a just and equal society.

Hung Hsiu-chu's campaign has been compared to the New Party's pro-Chinese unification stance.

Hundreds of Hung Hsiu-chu's supporters gathered outside Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to protest the party congress being held inside the building.

Hung Hsiu-chu rejected this offer in November 2015, announcing her intention to stay with the KMT, but not to run a legislative reelection campaign in 2016.

Hung Hsiu-chu later wrote a book about her presidential campaign, titled Unfinished Presidential Road.

On 19 January 2016, Hung Hsiu-chu announced that she would run for the position.

Hung Hsiu-chu was confirmed as a candidate four days later, having collected 38,407 valid signatures.

Hung Hsiu-chu won 78,829 votes in the leadership election, and became the first elected chairwoman of the party.

Hung Hsiu-chu met with General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping in her capacity as the Kuomintang chairperson.

Hung Hsiu-chu was the first to declare her candidacy for the 2017 KMT chair election.

In 2022, Hung Hsiu-chu complimented Chinese anti-terrorism efforts in Xinjiang, which some consider to constitute human rights violations.

Hung Hsiu-chu is nicknamed the little hot pepper for her straightforward manner.