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Li Chen-hsiu

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Li.

Li Chen-hsiu
李貞秀
Official portrait, 2026
Member of the Legislative Yuan
Partial recognition
In office
3 February 2026 – 13 April 2026
Preceded byChang Chi-kai
Succeeded byHsu Chung-hsin
ConstituencyParty-list (TPP)
Personal details
BornLi Zhenxiu
(1973-04-15) 15 April 1973 (age 53)
Hengnan County, Hunan, China
CitizenshipDisputed (see Nationality and legal controversy)
PartyTaiwan People's Party (2020–2026)
EducationAsia Eastern University of Science and Technology (AA)
Tunghai University

Li Chen-hsiu (traditional Chinese: 李貞秀; simplified Chinese: 李贞秀; pinyin: Lǐ Zhēnxiù; Wade–Giles: Li Chen-hsiu; born 15 April 1973) is a Chinese-born Taiwanese politician. She served as a member of the Legislative Yuan for the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) from 3 February to 13 April 2026. Her term ended when her membership was revoked by the party.

Born in Hunan, China, she was the first mainland spouse to be nominated as a Taiwanese legislator since the implementation of the Cross-Strait Act in 1992. As a native of the People's Republic of China, her eligibility has been in dispute over suspicion of her actual renunciation of PRC citizenship, despite her candidacy being approved by the Central Election Commission.[1] Due to the controversy over her dual citizenships, the central government, led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), refused to accept her legitimacy as a legislator and boycotted her interpellation during her tenure.

Early life and education

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Li was born on April 15, 1973, in Hengnan County, Hunan, China. In 1993, she relocated to Taiwan following her marriage to a Taiwanese national and subsequently settled there. She has five children. She earned an associate's degree in electrical engineering from Asia Eastern University of Science and Technology.[2] She is currently enrolled in an in-service master's program in Public Affairs at Tunghai University. Li worked at technology companies including Unitech and Foxconn, before later starting her own business. She has served as a founding member of the OSCAR Net-Zero Emissions Resilient Supply Chain Alliance, chair of the ESG Sustainable Development Committee of the Hsinchu Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association and founder of Xingheli Co., Ltd.[2][3]

Political career

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According to Li's own account, she initially had little interest in politics. During Ko Wen-je's tenure as mayor of Taipei, she felt that Ko differed from traditional politicians and became a supporter. After Ko founded the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) in 2019, Li registered online as a party member in 2020. As she did not know any party members and could not provide a required recommender, she listed Foxconn founder Terry Gou as the recommender when completing the application. In 2021, after attending a TPP campaign event promoting the 2021 Taiwanese referendum in Hsinchu, she paid NT$10,000 to become a lifetime party member. In 2022, she was appointed campaign director for the TPP's Zhubei mayoral race, marking her formal involvement in electoral politics.[2][3]

Legislative election

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In the 2024 Taiwanese legislative election, Li participated in the TPP's at-large legislator selection process and was successfully nominated, ranking 15th on the party's list. Under the TPP legislative caucus's "two-year clause", she assumed office on 3 February 2026, becoming the first legislator of mainland China spouse background among Taiwan's new immigrant communities and while still holding Chinese citizenship.[4][5] She was approved to enter legislative office by the Central Election Commission.[6] During her legislator-elect period, she served as an assistant in the office of Huang Kuo-chang, convener of the TPP legislative caucus.[7][8]

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Following the election of Li as a legislator, questions arose regarding her citizenship status and eligibility to assume office.[9] Under the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and related Taiwan-affairs regulations, Taiwan residents are considered Chinese citizens. The administration of President Lai Ching-te holds the view that mainland Chinese spouses possess PRC citizenship and therefore fall under Article 20 of the Taiwanese nationality law, which concerns Republic of China nationals who also hold foreign nationality. According to this interpretation, Li would be required to renounce her PRC citizenship in order to assume office and to submit proof of loss of nationality within one year of taking office, otherwise the Legislative Yuan should dismiss her. The method of renunciation would depend on the laws of the relevant country.[10] The law stipulates that the authority to dismiss a legislator rests with the Legislative Yuan. As such, the Executive Yuan and the Ministry of the Interior stated their legal position but do not possess the authority to invalidate Li's election or remove her from office.[11] Li stated that she attempted to renounce her PRC citizenship by travelling to her hometown in China but that her application was rejected by Chinese authorities.[12]

Removal from the TPP and Legislative Yuan

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The TPP revoked Li's membership on 13 April 2026, saying that it was because of her alleged comments over the bribery scandal of party founder Ko Wen-je, especially she implied during a live streaming program that Ann Kao, the incumbent Mayor of Hsinchu, received seven million TWD bribes from Ko. Her comments angered many of her party members and demanded that the party take further disciplinary action against Li. Along with her party membership revoked, her tenure as a legislator was also terminated. Serving her two-month tenure, she became the shortest-serving member of the Legislative Yuan.[13]

References

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  1. ^ Hioe, Brian (8 February 2026). "Appointment of China-Born TPP Legislator Causes Controversy". New Bloom Magazine. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "李贞秀：民进党别小看在台湾30几万名陆配" [Li Zhenxiu: The DPP should not underestimate the 300,000+ mainland spouses in Taiwan.]. China Review News Agency Limited (in Chinese). 13 January 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b "李贞秀：时间是最好照妖镜　勿把陆配妖魔化" [Li Zhenxiu: Time is the best mirror to reveal the truth; don't demonize mainland spouses.]. China Review News Agency Limited (in Chinese). 5 December 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  4. ^ "TPP lawmaker sworn in as nationality status remains unresolved". Focus Taiwan. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  5. ^ Staff writer (2 February 2026). "CEC certifies six to fill TPP at-large seats, including China-born Li Zhenxiu". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  6. ^ Hioe, Brian (8 February 2026). "Appointment of China-Born TPP Legislator Causes Controversy". New Bloom Magazine. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  7. ^ "民眾黨李貞秀將成台灣首位中國籍配偶立委！立院實習中師承黃國昌" [Li Zhenxiu of the Taiwan People's Party will become Taiwan's first legislator with a Chinese national spouse! She was mentored by Huang Kuo-chang during her internship at the Legislative Yuan.]. Newtalk新聞 (in Chinese). 3 November 2024. Archived from the original on 6 August 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  8. ^ "陆配李贞秀能否递补台立委 刘世芳：就职1年内放弃外国籍" [Can Li Zhenxiu, a mainland spouse, fill a vacancy in the Legislative Yuan? Liu Shifang: I will renounce my foreign citizenship within one year of taking office.]. Sin Chew Daily (in Chinese). 11 August 2025. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  9. ^ Chen, Yu-fu; Pan, Jason (3 February 2026). "TPP legislator's nationality still in question". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  10. ^ "內政部：凡擔任中華民國公職，均應遵守國籍法第20條規定，該規定已臻明確" [Ministry of the Interior: All those holding public office in the Republic of China must abide by Article 20 of the Nationality Act, which is now clearly defined.]. Ministry of the Interior Global Information Network (in Chinese). 29 January 2026.
  11. ^ "李貞秀：已放棄中國籍但不被受理 唯一效忠中華民國" [Li Zhenxiu: She has renounced her Chinese citizenship but her application has not been accepted; her only loyalty remains to the Republic of China.]. CNA (in Chinese). 3 February 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  12. ^ Garcia, Sam (3 February 2026). "China rejects TPP legislator's bid to renounce citizenship". Taipei Times. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  13. ^ "李貞秀遭開除黨籍喪失立委資格 民眾黨：以辭職要求對價補償重創形象". Yahoo News (in Chinese). 13 April 2026. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
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