Taipei: Taiwan's first direct presidential election in 1996 was a defining moment in its transition to democracy and a declaration to the world that its people would choose their leaders and future, former President Tsai Ing-wen said Friday. In a pre-written address made public at a seminar marking the 30th anniversary of the country's first direct presidential election, Tsai, who served as Republic of China (Taiwan) president from 2016 to 2024, emphasized that the occasion was not merely about commemorating a single election but about acknowledging the pivotal moment when the people of Taiwan declared their right to determine their own leadership and future.
According to Focus Taiwan, Tsai's speech, read at the forum by an event worker, highlighted that Taiwan's democracy continued to evolve following the historic vote on March 23, 1996. In 2000, Taiwan experienced its first peaceful transfer of power between political parties through an election, marking the beginning of multiple transfers of power between different ruling parties in the subsequent years. Tsai also reflected on how direct presidential elections in Taiwan have fostered a new political identity, uniting people from diverse ethnic backgrounds and political affiliations within the same democratic system to collectively decide who governs the country.
In her address, Tsai noted that Taiwan is recognized globally not only for its semiconductor and technological achievements but also for its commitment to freedom, democracy, and human rights. During the 1996 election, four candidates contested the presidency, with then-President Lee Teng-hui winning alongside running mate Lien Chan, of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), securing 54 percent of the vote. Prior to this election, Taiwan's president and vice president were chosen by deputies to the now-abolished National Assembly, established in 1947 when the ROC government was still based in mainland China.
Former KMT heavyweight and current People First Party Chairman James Soong, speaking at the seminar, recounted his participation in the cross-party negotiations leading up to the 1996 presidential election. He attributed the push for direct popular elections in Taiwan to the Wild Lily student movement in March 1990, which led to then-President Lee convening the National Affairs Conference in the summer of 1990. This conference laid the groundwork for ending the tenure of the lifetime National Assembly members elected in 1947, paving the way for the 1996 direct presidential election and the full re-elections of Taiwan's legislative bodies.
Soong emphasized that the 1996 direct presidential election exemplified successful democratic, cross-party communication in resolving disputes rather than suppressing differing opinions. He urged Taiwan's current political landscape to learn from the 1990s' example and find a feasible and mutually acceptable path to continue advancing Taiwan's sustainable development.