Chen Horng-chi

Chen attended the Tamsui Institute of Industrial and Business Administration, then Nihon University and Kinki University in Japan.[1][2]

Chen was elected to the National Assembly in 1991, and to the Legislative Yuan in 1995 and 1998.[1][2]

He was an ally of Lee Teng-hui,[3][4] and later led the Generation-E Alliance affiliated with the parties of the Pan-Blue Coalition, namely the Kuomintang and People First Party.[5][6][7] Chen was a proponent of reform for the Kuomintang,[8][9][10] and was willing to work with the Democratic Progressive Party to resolve questions regarding the Kuomintang's assets.[11] However, he was frequently critical of the DPP,[12][13] and repeatedly commented on President Chen Shui-bian's ability to build a government.[7][14] Chen Horng-chi actively pursued the recall of Chen Shui-bian and the resignation of premier Chang Chun-hsiung.[15][16][17] As a legislator, Chen maintained an interest in social and medical services.[18][19][20] He opposed the legalization of gambling on Taiwan's offshore islands.[21][22]

For a portion of his second term in office, Chen chaired the Legislative Yuan's Discipline Committee.[23] In February 2001, Chen spoke out against a Kuomintang proposal to form dual party tickets alongside the People First Party for that year's municipal elections.[24] Later it was reported that Chen and fellow members of the Generation-E Alliance were considering withdrawal from the Kuomintang.[25][26] Chen eventually accepted the Kuomintang nomination to run in Taipei South.[27][28] During his campaign, Chen called for cooperation with the Democratic Progressive Party.[29][30] His statement led to continued rumors of party switching and a potential split vote.[31][32] Chen apologized for the statement but did not retract it,[33][34] and led a rally to lend further support to the proposed coalition.[35] Chen lost the election,[36] and subsequently joined the Taiwan Solidarity Union in November 2002.[37] Having experience in the Kuomintang's organization department,[38] Chen was named director of the same office within the TSU.[39] He was formally expelled from the Kuomintang in December 2002.[40] By 2003, Chen had become the TSU's deputy secretary general.[41] In June 2004, he was named Taiwan's deputy representative to Japan.[42] Chen took office in October.[43] He considered standing for the 2004 legislative elections, but ended his bid to support David Huang.[44] Lo Koon-tsan joined Chen as a deputy representative to Japan in June 2006.[45] Chen then served as the chairman of the Association of East Asian Relations.[46]

In January 2008, Chen was charged with taking bribes to support amendments to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law from the National Chinese Herbal Apothecary Association in 1998.[47] The case was heard by the Taipei District Court in 2009,[48] and appealed to the Taiwan High Court in September 2010.[49] Both courts found Chen guilty, but the High Court decision was overruled by the Supreme Court.[50] The retrial was heard by the Taiwan High Court in 2012, and Chen was found not guilty.[51]