Chen Ming-wen

Chen Ming-wen MLY
陳明文
Official portrait, 2019
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office 1 February 2008 – 31 January 2024
Preceded by	Helen Chang
Succeeded by	Chen Kuan-ting
Constituency	Chiayi II
In office 1 March 1999 – 20 December 2009
Constituency	Chiayi County
11th Magistrate of Chiayi County
In office 20 December 2001 – 20 December 2009
Preceded by	Li Ya-ching
Succeeded by	Helen Chang
Personal details
Born	(1955-05-13) 13 May 1955 Puzi, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Nationality	Taiwan
Political party	Democratic Progressive Party
Children	Chen Kuan-ting, Chen Zheng-ting (sons), Chen Kuan-ying (daughter)
Alma mater	National Chiayi University

Chen Ming-wen (Chinese: 陳明文; pinyin: Chén Míngwén; born 13 May 1955) is a Taiwanese politician. He was the Chiayi County Magistrate from 2001 to 2009, until his election to the Legislative Yuan, where he has served since 2008.

Career

In 1977, upon his graduation from National Chiayi University, he was elected to the Chiayi County Council as a councilor. In 1981, Chen was elected as Chairman of the Chiayi County Council at age 27, the youngest chairman in the history of Republic of China. Later he was elected to the Taiwan Provincial Consultative Council in 1985, while completing his degree in philosophy at Tokai University, and won subsequent elections twice in 1989 and 1994 and was again elected a legislator to the Legislative Yuan in 1998. Chen served as the Magistrate of Chiayi County from 2001 to 2008, with a satisfactory rate over 60% upon retiring his office. He became a member of the Legislative Yuan and of the Central Standing Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party. Chen is tipped to become the next generation leader of the DPP, ranked after former premier Su Tseng-Chang and the party chairman Tsai Ing-wen.

Scandal

On 3 September 2019, Chen took a Taiwan High Speed Rail train from Chiayi to North. He said he lost a suitcase (containing NT$3 million dollar) on the train. That suitcase was picked up by the staff of Taiwan high speed rail, who immediately alerted the police, and notified the owner. Then his youngest son, Chen Zheng-Ting stated that his father had provided him with funds to go to the Philippines to open a bubble tea shop to continue his mother’s career. The money was used to pay for the manufacturers’ equipments, raw materials and foreign currency accounts.