{{Short description|Taiwanese politician (born 1952)}} {{about|the politician|the ophthalmologist|James C. Tsai}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{family name hatnote|Tsai (蔡)|lang=Chinese}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Tsai Jen-chien | native_name = {{nobold|蔡仁堅}} | native_name_lang = zh-tw | honorific_suffix = | image = Hsin Chu Mayor James Tsai.png | caption = | order = Mayor of Hsinchu | deputy = Yang Tzu-pao<br/>Lin Cheng-chieh | term_start = 20 December 1997 | term_end = 20 December 2001 | predecessor = Tong Shen-nan | successor = Lin Junq-tzer | order1 = Member of the National Assembly | term_start1 = 1992 | term_end1 = 1997 | predecessor1 = | successor1 = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1952|10|27}} | birth_place = Hsinchu, Taiwan | party = Independent | other_party = Democratic Progressive Party {{small|(1986–2014)}} | alma_mater = | profession = | education = Ming Chuan University (MB)<br />Harvard University (MPA) }}
'''Tsai Jen-chien''' ({{zh|t=蔡仁堅}}; born 27 October 1952), also known by his English name '''James Tsai''', is a Taiwanese pharmacist and politician who served as mayor of Hsinchu from 1997 to 2001.
== Education == After graduating from Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University, Tsai graduated from Taipei Medical University with a Bachelor of Medicine (M.B.) in pharmacy. He then completed graduate studies in the United States at Harvard University, where he earned a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.
==Political career== A cofounder of the Democratic Progressive Party,<ref>{{cite news|last1=You|first1=Kai-hsiang|last2=Lee|first2=James|title=DPP expels one of its founding members for running unendorsed|url=http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201409270028.aspx?|accessdate=17 May 2016|agency=Central News Agency|date=28 September 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011131033/http://focustaiwan.tw/search/201409270028.aspx|archivedate=11 October 2016}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20141204143512/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/life/science-&-technology/2014/09/28/418213/DPP-expels.htm Alt URL]</ref> Tsai served on the National Assembly from 1992 to 1997, and was the DPP caucus leader throughout his term.<ref>{{cite news|title=Taiwan's opposition plans trip to China|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1992/06/26/Taiwans-opposition-plans-trip-to-China/4798709531200/|accessdate=16 May 2016|agency=United Press International|date=26 June 1992}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Yu|first1=Susan|title=Assembly contest on vote level|url=http://taiwaninfo.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=14361&ctNode=103|accessdate=19 May 2016|work=Taiwan Info|date=19 July 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623225112/http://taiwaninfo.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=14361&ctNode=103|archive-date=23 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The legislative body elected its first speaker and deputy speaker during its 1996 session. Tsai was nominated as the DPP candidate for the deputy speakership, and lost to Shieh Lung-sheng.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Yu|first1=Susan|title=National Assembly elects speaker as session opens|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=14341&ctNode=451|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=12 July 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807172812/http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=14341&ctNode=451|archive-date=7 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Tsai was elected mayor of Hsinchu in the 1997 local elections. In October 2000, he became the first elected local government leader from Taiwan to visit China.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ko|first1=Shu-ling|title=Taipei's Ma Ying-jeou: the city statesman|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/02/11/0000073187|accessdate=20 April 2017|work=Taipei Times|date=11 February 2001}}</ref> The next year, Tsai lost his bid for reelection.<ref>{{cite news|title=Political sex video scandal in Taiwan court|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/02/07/taiwan.scandal/|accessdate=16 May 2016|agency=Reuters|publisher=CNN|date=7 February 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Phone call to police links politician to sex-VCD case|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/12/27/0000117480|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=27 December 2001}}</ref> He attempted to run for the position again in 2014, without the backing of the DPP, which expelled him for mounting an independent campaign.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wang|first1=Chris|title=DPP optimistic about Taichung election chances|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/07/17/2003595308|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=17 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Loa|first1=lok-sin|title=DPP turns 28 with symbolic picnic events|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/09/29/2003600841|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=29 September 2014}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center" |- ! colspan="7" width=620px|2014 Hsinchu City Mayoralty Election Result |- !width=35|No. !width=180| Candidate !width=120| Party !width=75| Votes !width=75| Percentage !width=49| |- |1||Liu Cheng-hsing (劉正幸)||Independent||style="border-left:4px solid #000000;" align="right"|1,914 |align="right"|0.96% |align="center"| |- |2||Hsu Ming-tsai||KMT||style="border-left:4px solid #000099;" align="right"|75,564 |align="right"|37.85% |align="center"| |- |3||'''James Tsai'''||Independent||style="border-left:4px solid #000000;" align="right"|40,480 |align="right"|20.28% |align="center"| |- |4||Lin Chih-chien||DPP||style="border-left:4px solid #1B9431;" align="right"|76,578 |align="right"|38.36% |align="center"|<div align="center">20px</div> |- |5||Wu Shu-min (吳淑敏)||Independent||style="border-left:4px solid #000000;" align="right"|5101 |align="right"|2.56% |align="center"| |- bgcolor=EEEEEE |}
==Controversy== During his mayoral term, Tsai was one of many mayors accused of corruption, as he had charged United Microelectronics Corporation a "township chief tax" for community development funds.<ref>{{cite news|title=Legislator found not guilty of corruption|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/01/03/0000068214|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=3 January 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Huang|first1=Joyce|title=DPP wrangles over Hsinchu mayor|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/01/04/0000068345|accessdate=20 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=4 January 2001}}</ref>
Soon after leaving office, Tsai was caught in the Chu Mei-feng sex scandal, during which he was represented by attorney Hsu Wen-bin.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chuang|first1=Jimmy|title=Judicial Yuan writes `judge law'|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2003/08/20/2003064471|accessdate=9 October 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=20 August 2003}}</ref> Tsai and Chu had dated for four years,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hsu|first1=Crystal|title=Former Hsinchu mayor will reply|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/12/30/0000117878|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=30 December 2001}}</ref> before the relationship ended in February 2001.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kuo says she was told to tape Chu|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/12/31/0000118004|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=31 December 2001}}</ref> Later that year, a sex tape of Chu and married businessman Tseng Chung-ming was released.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chuang|first1=Jimmy|title=Taipei prosecutors focus on instructor in sex case|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/12/23/0000116961|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=23 December 2001}}</ref> Prosecutors believed that Tsai and spiritual advisor Kuo Yu-ling asked a detective agency about hidden cameras.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chuang|first1=Jimmy|title=Chu gives apology for having `erred'|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2001/12/26/0000117336|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=26 December 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Tsai|first1=Ting-I|title=VCD probe finds tape, spy devices|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/12/29/0000117752|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=29 December 2001}}</ref> Tsai was questioned by the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office in January 2002,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chuang|first1=Jimmy|title=Police may interrogate ex-mayor|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2001/12/28/0000117607|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=29 December 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Chuang|first1=Jimmy|title=Tsai gets summons in VCD case|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2002/01/03/0000118396|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=3 January 2002}}</ref> and indicted on 7 February.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chuang|first1=Jimmy|title=Six sentenced in sex-VCD scandal|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2002/07/26/0000153581|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=26 July 2002}}</ref> However, Chu chose to drop the case against Tsai in June.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chuang|first1=Jimmy|title=Chu Mei-feng drops case against former lover Tsai|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2002/06/27/0000146032|accessdate=16 May 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=27 June 2002}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsai, James}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:Mayors of Hsinchu Category:Expelled members of the Democratic Progressive Party (Taiwan) Category:Taiwanese political party founders Category:Taipei Medical University alumni Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni