Frida Tsai

Frida Tsai (Chinese: 蔡培慧; pinyin: Cài Péihuì; born 2 September 1971) is a Taiwanese activist and politician. She served in the Legislative Yuan from 2016 to 2020, contested the Nantou County magistracy later that year, and in 2023, was reelected to the Legislative Yuan.

Frida Tsai
Tsai Pei-hui
MLY
蔡培慧
Official portrait, 2023
Member of the Legislative Yuan
Assumed office
13 March 2023
Preceded byHsu Shu-hua
ConstituencyNantou II
In office
1 February 2016 – 31 January 2020
ConstituencyParty-list (Democratic Progressive Party)
Personal details
Born (1971-09-02) 2 September 1971
Yuchi, Nantou, Taiwan
Political partyDemocratic Progressive Party
Alma materNational Taiwan University
Occupationpolitician

Early life

Tsai was born on 2 September 1971 and raised in Yuchi, Nantou by her grandparents.[1][2] As a teen, she moved to Taipei to live with her parents and later earned a Ph.D from National Taiwan University.[3] She then taught at Shih Hsin University.[4][5]

Activism

Tsai is an active member of the Taiwan Rural Front, serving as the group's spokesperson.[6][7] In this position, she was critical of the agricultural policies supported by the Ma Ying-jeou administration,[8][9] describing the Land Expropriation Act in particular as "a tool for land developers and speculators."[10] Tsai has led multiple protests as part of her advocacy for farmers' rights.[11][12] In 2013, she mobilized a few hundred people to occupy the Executive Yuan, after the Miaoli County Government announced that it would repurpose land belonging to four families in Zhunan Township.[13][14] After the Sunflower Student Movement of April 2014, Tsai cofounded the Taiwan Citizen Union and Taiwan March with protest organizers.[15][16]

Political career

In November 2015, the Democratic Progressive Party announced that Tsai had been placed on its party list for the January 2016 legislative elections.[17] She was subsequently elected to the Legislative Yuan via proportional representation.[18] In June, Tsai was invited to participate in a tribunal called to review cases under the purview of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.[19][20] During her legislative tenure, Tsai proposed amendments to the Animal Protection Act that require permits to be issued before animals can perform in public.[21] She has also cosponsored an amendment to the Housing Act differentiating between property and residency rights.[22] Tsai became founding leader of the Taiwan-Italy Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association within the Legislative Yuan in December 2016.[23] Tsai faced Ma Wen-chun in Nantou County's second district during the 2020 legislative elections.[24] Tsai was nominated Democratic Progressive Party candidate for the Nantou County magistracy during the 2022 local election cycle.[25][26] After losing the election to Hsu Shu-hua,[27] Tsai was a candidate for the by-election to fill Hsu's legislative seat.[28] Tsai narrowly defeated former magistrate Lin Ming-chen,[29][30] becoming the first DPP legislator to serve the Nantou II constituency.[31]

Political stances

Due to public health concerns, Tsai supports limits on the amount of genetically modified food allowed to enter the Taiwanese market,[32] stating that imported soybeans specifically should be graded and labeled before distribution and use.[33] Tsai also backed an increase in government funding for plant breeding research.[34]

References
  1. Ho, Yi (1 October 2013). "A country child returns home". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  2. "2號 蔡培慧". Liberty Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  3. "Tsai Pei-hui (9)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  4. Lee, I-chia (22 April 2011). "After nine hours, still no verdict on Kuokuang's EIA". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  5. Chung, Li-hua (10 April 2011). "Taiwan's ageing farmers struggle to earn a living". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  6. Loa, Iok-sin (17 July 2010). "Farmers protest forced land grab". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  7. Loa, Iok-sin (31 July 2010). "Siangsihliao farmers win land reprieve". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  8. Chung, Li-hua (6 September 2011). "Agricultural incomes reach lowest in five years: DGBAS report". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  9. Hung, Su-ching; Huang, Yi-ching (1 July 2012). "COA staff say it is 'unreasonable' for them to monitor TV". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  10. Loa, Iok-sin (14 July 2011). "Farming activists say Wu 'insincere'". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  11. Loa, Iok-sin (4 February 2013). "Farmers, activists protest against globalization". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  12. Loa, Iok-sin (15 September 2013). "Miaoli activists protest against arrests". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  13. Wang, Chris (20 August 2013). "Protesters occupy government building". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  14. Loa, Iok-sin (5 July 2013). "Dapu protesters, police clash, as Wu calls a halt". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  15. Loa, Iok-sin (10 July 2014). "Taiwan Citizen Union is approved". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  16. Wang, Chris (19 May 2014). "Sunflower leaders to form new activist organization". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  17. Loa, Iok-sin (12 November 2015). "List of candidates demonstrates DPP ready to lead: Wu". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  18. Chang, Hsiao-ti (1 February 2016). "DPP threatens to boycott disputed bills". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  19. Gerber, Abraham (30 June 2016). "Activists plan housing tribunal". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  20. Gerber, Abraham (3 July 2016). "Civil rights groups host international tribunal on eviction". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  21. Yu, Chao-fu; Chen, Yu-fu; Lee, Li-fa; Chung, Jake (2 June 2016). "Dog and cat meat diners should face fines: lawmaker". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  22. Gerber, Abraham (20 October 2016). "Rights advocates call for Housing Act amendment". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  23. Pan, Jason (10 December 2016). "Lawmaker touts Italian trade at association launch". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  24. Kuan, Rui-ping; Hsiao, Po-yang; Chiang, Yi-ching; Wu, Che-hao; Yeh, Joseph (1 December 2019). "2020 Elections: Tight races seen in Miaoli, Nantou, Yunlin, Changhua". Central News Agency. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  25. Pan, Jason (9 September 2022). "DPP local candidates praise virtues of 'Women Power'". Taipei Times. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  26. Lin, Sean; Hsiao, Po-yang (14 September 2022). "Taiwan slams barring of beauty queen from Malaysia tech event stage". Central News Agency.
  27. Lo, James (26 November 2022). "ELECTIONS 2022/KMT's Hsu Shu-hua claims victory in Nantou County magistrate race". Central News Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  28. Chen, Chun-hua; Kao, Evelyn (26 December 2022). "By-election for Nantou legislative seat scheduled for March 4". Central News Agency. Retrieved 26 December 2022. Republished as: "By-election for Hsu's Nantou seat set for March 4". Taipei Times. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  29. Pan, Jason (5 March 2023). "DPP's Tsai Pei-hui narrowly wins Nantou by-election". Taipei Times. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  30. Liu, Kay (4 March 2023). "Legislative by-election in Nantou County". Central News Agency.
  31. Hsiao, Po-yang; Shih, Hsiu-chuan (3 March 2023). "DPP's Tsai Pei-hui narrowly wins Nantou legislative by-election". Central News Agency. Retrieved 13 March 2023. It also marked the DPP's first win of a legislative seat in the traditional KMT stronghold of Nantou County since Taiwan's legislative elections were first held under a single-seat district system in 2008.
  32. Chen, Wei-han (19 May 2016). "Group protests use of GM beans". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  33. Lee, I-chia (25 October 2016). "Calls for stricter soybean classification". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  34. Shan, Shelley (19 October 2016). "Increase plant-breeding budget, lawmaker says". Taipei Times. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
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