Chai Trong-rong

Chai Trong-rong
蔡同榮
Chai Trong-rong at 2008 CIPFG Global Human Rights Torch Relay in Taiwan
1st President of the WUFI
In office 1970–1971
Succeeded by	Peng Ming-min
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office 1 February 1993 – 31 January 1996
Succeeded by	Vincent Siew
Constituency	Chiayi
In office 4 December 1997 – 31 January 2008
Preceded by	Vincent Siew
Constituency	Chiayi
In office 1 February 2008 – 31 January 2012
Constituency	Republic of China
Personal details
Born	(1935-06-13)13 June 1935 Hotei Village, Tōseki District, Tainan Prefecture, Japanese Taiwan (modern-day Budai, Chiayi County, Taiwan)
Died	11 January 2014(2014-01-11) (aged 78) Taipei, Taiwan
Political party	Democratic Progressive Party
Alma mater	National Taiwan University University of Tennessee University of Southern California
Occupation	Politician

Chai Trong-rong (Chinese: 蔡同榮; pinyin: Cài Tóngróng; Wade–Giles: Tsài Tóngróng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chhòa Tông-êng; 13 June 1935 – 11 January 2014), sometimes known in English as Trong Chai, was a Taiwanese politician.

Born in Japanese-era Taiwan, Chai earned his master's and doctorate degrees in the United States. He was a pro-democracy advocate and founded the Association for a Plebiscite (Chinese: 公民投票促進會; pinyin: Gōngmín Tóupiaò Cùjìnhùi) and Formosa Television.

A member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Chai was elected a national-level legislator multiple times, serving in the Legislative Yuan from 1993 to 1996 and again from 1997 to 2012. He took part in three of the DPP chairmanship elections. However, he lost all three of the elections.

Chai Trong-rong was born on 13 June 1935, in Hotei Village, Tōseki District, Tainan Prefecture, Japanese Taiwan (modern-day Budai, Chiayi County, Taiwan). At the time, Taiwan was still part of the Empire of Japan. After the Second World War, his father served as Chiayi County council member for two terms.

After his graduation from the National Tainan First Senior High School, Chai attended the National Taiwan University (NTU) studying political science. He later switched his major to law and graduated from the NTU College of Law in 1958. He was then conscripted and served in the Republic of China (Taiwan) Army for sixteen months.