Lin Cho-shui

Lin earned a bachelor's degree at National Chengchi University.[1]

Lin was an original member of the New Tide faction, a group within the Democratic Progressive Party formed by tangwai movement activists to oppose DPP politician Kang Ning-hsiang and later supportive of Chen Shui-bian.[2][3] Lin helped write the party's founding charter.[4] In 1998, it was suggested that the party platform be revised.[5] Lin and Julian Kuo drafted an amendment delineating the DPP's acceptance of the Republic of China as the official name for Taiwan.[6] By January 1999, it was decided that changes to the party platform would not be made.[4]

Lin was elected to the Legislative Yuan three times as a representative of Tainan 1. For a portion of his first term, Lin was the Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip.[7] In 1999, the Ministry of the Interior proposed a law on referendums. Lin opposed the bill, because the MOI draft did not make Taiwanese sovereignty an issue eligible for referendum.[8] He won the 2001 and 2004 legislative elections via party-list proportional representation. In July 2003, President Chen Shui-bian recommended that the Lungmen Nuclear Power Plant and Taiwan's membership in the World Trade Organization both be considered for referendum, a move Lin supported.[9] When the Referendum Act was promulgated in December 2003, a referendum on cross-strait relations did indeed occur in March 2004. A "sunshine code" provision, which mandated the use of blind trusts for all members of the Executive Yuan and every overseas diplomat, passed in February 2006 with support from Lin.[10] In June 2006, the Statute Governing Preferential Treatment for Retired Presidents and Vice Presidents was revised, lowering pensions for former leaders of Taiwan. Lin stated that the amendments were not adequate.[11] Also that month, Lin asked Chiou I-jen to step down as claims of corruption within the Chen administration began.[12] Lin had pledged to resign if Chen were detained,[13] and gave up his seat on 13 November 2006,[14] officially leaving the legislature on 15 November.[15] Lin declared his candidacy for the legislative elections of 2008, and quit the race after winning only 11.01% of the vote in a party primary.[16]

Lin supports the Taiwan independence movement and believes that Cross-Strait relations are of an international nature.[17][18][19] He often writes for the Taipei Times. Editorials authored for the publication have criticized increasing government bureaucracy,[20] and the policies and actions of Ma Ying-jeou.[21][22][23] Lin has written on party politics within the Democratic Progressive Party,[24] and believes vice chairman positions within political parties contribute to bureaucracy.[25] Lin has also expressed disapproval of the DPP,[26][27] specifically targeting politicians Annette Lu and Yen Ching-chang.[28][29] He supports pension reform,[30] and expanding the investigative powers of the legislature and Control Yuan.[31]

Lin has covered the 1992 Consensus repeatedly,[32][33][34] as well as Cross-Strait relations,[35][36][37][38] and China itself in his writings.[39] Lin's contributions to the Times further include political survey analysis and opinions on the use and meaning of national symbols.[40][41][42]