Ker Chien-ming | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
柯建銘 | |||||||||||||
Ker in 2020 | |||||||||||||
| Member of the Legislative Yuan | |||||||||||||
| Assumed office 1 February 2020 | |||||||||||||
| Constituency | Proportional Representation №8 | ||||||||||||
| In office 1 February 2016 – 1 February 2020 | |||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Lu Hsueh-chang | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Cheng Cheng-chien | ||||||||||||
| Constituency | Hsinchu City | ||||||||||||
| In office 1 February 2008 – 1 February 2016 | |||||||||||||
| Constituency | Proportional Representation №2 | ||||||||||||
| In office 1 February 1993 – 1 February 2008 | |||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Hsu Wu-sheng | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Lu Hsueh-chang | ||||||||||||
| Constituency | Hsinchu's 1st district | ||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Lai Shyh-bao | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Fu Kun-chi | ||||||||||||
| Acting Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party | |||||||||||||
| In office 11 March 2011 – 27 April 2011 | |||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tsai Ing-wen | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Tsai Ing-wen | ||||||||||||
| In office 11 December 2004 – 15 January 2005 | |||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Chen Shui-bian | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Su Tseng-chang | ||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||
| Born | 8 September 1951 Hsinchu, Taiwan | ||||||||||||
| Party | Democratic Progressive Party | ||||||||||||
| Education | Chung Shan Medical University (BS) National Chiao Tung University (MBA) | ||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 柯建銘 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 柯建铭 | ||||||||||||
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Ker Chien-ming (Chinese: 柯建銘; pinyin: Kē Jiànmíng; Wade–Giles: Ke1 Chien4-ming2; born 8 September 1951) is a Taiwanese politician and former dentist who serves as minority leader in the Legislative Yuan. From 2016 to February 2024, he was the majority leader, after the Democratic Progressive Party won a majority of seats in the Legislative Yuan for the first time.
Early life and education
[edit]Ker was born in Hsinchu. His father, Ke Ziyu (1917–2010), was a scholar of Chinese poetry in the city.
After graduating from National Hsinchu Senior High School, Ker studied dentistry at Chung Shan Medical University and graduated with his bachelor's degree in dental science. He later earned a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from National Chiao Tung University.
Political career
[edit]Ker is a founding member of the Democratic Progressive Party and was first elected to the Legislative Yuan in 1992. He represented Hsinchu district from 1993 to 2008, and again starting in 2016. From 2008 to 2016 and again from 2020, Ker was elected via proportional representation.[1][2][3]
On 17 August 2022, in the aftermath of then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on 2–3 August, China blacklisted seven Taiwanese officials including Ker as "diehard "Taiwan independence" separatists" due to their support for Taiwan independence. The blacklist bans them from entering mainland China and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, and restricts them from working with Chinese officials. Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times labelled Ker and the six officials as "diehard secessionists".[4]
On 11 July 2025, during a dispute in the Legislative Yuan, Ker invoked Article 100 of the Criminal Code, stating: "Article 100 of the Criminal Code still exists." (Article 100 of the Criminal Code stipulates penalties for those "intending to undermine the state," with offenders subject to up to five years' imprisonment, which has led critics to regard it as a form of thought crime.) In response, KMT legislator Wu Tsung-hsien also remarked that the DPP had previously advocated abolishing Article 100, and its current attempt to revive it constituted "a betrayal of Taiwanese democracy." Ker countered that Article 100 had not been abolished but was revised and remained in effect. He emphasized that it serves to protect national security and that acts of violence or coercion within the legislature should be prosecuted according to the law.[5]The Kuomintang heavily publicized Ker's remarks, with KMT legislator Ling Tao even claiming that Lai Ching-te and Ker would "imitate Yoon Suk-yeol next week by declaring martial law."[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Legislators: Ker Chien-Ming". The Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China. Retrieved 13 November 2007.
- ^ "Editorial: Gangsters, gangsters everywhere". Taipei Times. 9 November 2007. Retrieved 12 November 2007.
- ^ Wen, Keui-hsiang; Huang, Frances (15 November 2019). "2020 Elections: DPP legislator-at-large list shows diversity". Central News Agency. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- ^ "China imposes sanctions on seven Taiwan 'secessionist' officials". Al Jazeera. 16 August 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ 林, 敬殷; 王, 承中 (11 July 2025). "柯建銘再提刑法100條 傅崐萁指濫用司法對付在野黨". 中央社. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "預告綠營罷免前出10奧步 凌濤喊:賴清德、柯建銘下周可能仿尹錫悅宣布戒嚴". 菱傳媒. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.