Lai Ching-te
Lai Ching-te | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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賴清德 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Official portrait, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th President of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 20 May 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premier | Cho Jung-tai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice President | Hsiao Bi-khim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tsai Ing-wen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 18 January 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary General | Hsu Li-ming Andrea Yang (acting) Lin Yu-chang Ho Po-wen (acting) Hsu Kuo-yung | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Chen Chi-mai (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th Vice President of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 May 2020 – 20 May 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Tsai Ing-wen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Chen Chien-jen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Hsiao Bi-khim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th Premier of the Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 8 September 2017 – 14 January 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Tsai Ing-wen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice Premier | Shih Jun-ji | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Lin Chuan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Su Tseng-chang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st Mayor of Tainan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 December 2010 – 7 September 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Hsu He-chun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Li Meng-yen (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 October 1959 Wanli, Taipei County, Taiwan (now Wanli, New Taipei City, Taiwan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Democratic Progressive | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Branch/service | ROC Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1984–1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Second lieutenant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 賴清德 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 赖清德 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lai Ching-te (Chinese: 賴清德; pinyin: Lài Qīngdé; born 6 October 1959), also known as William Lai, is a Taiwanese politician, physician, and nephrologist who has served as the eighth president of the Republic of China since 2024. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), he has been the party's chairman since 2023.
Born in Taipei County, Lai studied medicine at National Taiwan University and National Cheng Kung University. He graduated from Harvard University with a master's degree in public health in 2003. After practicing internal medicine as a chief physician at two hospitals, Lai won election in 1996 to represent Tainan City in the National Assembly, then served as a member of the Legislative Yuan from 1999 to 2010. He was the first mayor of Tainan from 2010 to 2017 and the 26th premier of the Republic of China from 2017 to 2019.
In the 2019 Democratic Progressive presidential primary, Lai ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Tsai Ing-wen for control of the party, but became her running mate in the 2020 presidential election, in which he was elected vice president of the Republic of China. As vice president, Lai was nominated by the DPP to be its presidential candidate for 2024 and defeated Kuomintang (KMT) nominee Hou Yu-ih in the 2024 presidential election. He took office as president on 20 May 2024.