Lin Chia-lung

Lin Chia-lung (traditional Chinese: 林佳龍; simplified Chinese: 林佳龙; pinyin: Lín Jialóng; Wade–Giles: Lín Chia-lúng; born February 13, 1964 in Wanhua, Taipei, Taiwan) is a Taiwanese academic and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politician. He was elected mayor of Taichung City in November 2014 and took office on 25 December 2014. In the early 2000s he served in various capacities in the ROC Executive Yuan under DPP President Chen Shui-bian.

Background

Lin was born in Taipei's Wanhua District to parents from Yunlin County, and was raised in both areas.

After graduating from Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo Senior High School, Lin Chia-lung attended National Taiwan University (NTU), where he received his BA (1986) and MA (1988) in political science. As a student representative at NTU, Lin was active in the NTU Society for the Study of Mainland China (臺大大陸問題研究社), and a participant in the "Love of Freedom" (自由之愛) campus free speech movement. Lin played a key role in pushing for the direct election of the student council chairman by students, and was responsible for drafting the election plan proposed by students to the campus administration in 1984.