First Lady of the Republic of China facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Lady of Republic of China (Taiwan) |
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 Wu Mei-ju since 20 May 2024 |
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| Inaugural holder | Lu Muzhen (1912) Soong Mei-ling (1949) |
| Formation | 1 January 1912 |
The First Lady of the Republic of China is the wife of the President of the Republic of China. Since 1949, this role has been based in Taiwan. Because of this, the First Lady is often also called the First Lady of Taiwan.
From 2016 to 2024, there was no First Lady. This was because former President Tsai Ing-wen was the first woman to be elected as president, and she was not married.
Early First Ladies (Before 1947)
The role of First Lady began in 1912 when the Republic of China was formed. Here are some of the women who held this important position before 1947.
| Spouse | Image | President | Took office | Left office | |
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| 1 | Lu Muzhen (1867 – 1952) |
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Sun Yat-sen | 1 January 1912 | 10 March 1912 |
| 2 | Yu Yishang (1872-1956) |
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Yuan Shikai | 10 March 1912 | 6 June 1916 |
| 3 | Oei Hui-lan (1889 – 1992) |
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V. K. Wellington Koo | 1 October 1926 | 16 June 1927 |
| 4 | Soong Mei-ling (1898 – 2003) |
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Chiang Kai-shek | 1 August 1943 | 20 May 1948 |
First Ladies in Taiwan (After 1949)
After 1949, the government of the Republic of China moved to Taiwan. From this point on, the First Ladies have been based in Taiwan. They are known as both the First Lady of the Republic of China and the First Lady of Taiwan.
| No. | Spouse | Image | Time in Office | President | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Soong Mei-ling 宋美齡 (1898 – 2003) |
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20 May 1948 – 5 April 1975 |
Chiang Kai-shek married December 1, 1927 |
Also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek. She was a very active First Lady. |
| 5 | Liu Chi-chun 劉期純 (1908 – 1999) |
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6 April 1975 – 20 May 1978 |
Yen Chia-kan married December 14, 1924 |
She was the first First Lady to take office on the island of Taiwan. |
| 6 | Chiang Fang-liang 蔣方良 (1916 – 2004) |
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20 May 1978 – 13 January 1988 |
Chiang Ching-kuo married March 15, 1935 |
Born in Russia, she met her husband while they were working there. She adopted the Chinese name Chiang Fang-liang. She preferred to stay out of politics. |
| 7 | Tseng Wen-hui 曾文惠 (born 1926) |
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13 January 1988 – 20 May 2000 |
Lee Teng-hui married February 9, 1949 |
She was the wife of the first president who was chosen by popular vote. |
| 8 | Wu Shu-chen 吳淑珍 (born 1953) |
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20 May 2000 – 20 May 2008 |
Chen Shui-bian married February 20, 1975 |
She was a member of the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament) from 1987 to 1990. |
| 9 | Christine Chow Ma (Chow Mei-ching) 周美青 (born 1952) |
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20 May 2008 – 20 May 2016 |
Ma Ying-jeou married August 20, 1977 |
Born in Hong Kong, she worked as a lawyer for over 20 years before becoming First Lady. |
| – | None | 20 May 2016 – 20 May 2024 |
Tsai Ing-wen unmarried |
President Tsai Ing-wen was the first female head of state in Taiwan's history. She was not married during her time in office. | |
| 10 | Wu Mei-ju 吳玫如 (born 1964) |
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20 May 2024 – Incumbent |
Lai Ching-te married 1986 |
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See also
- List of presidents of the Republic of China
- First family of the Republic of China
