LIEN Chan (since 23 February
1993); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) HSU Li-teh
(since 23 February 1993) presidential election last held 21 March 1990
(next to be held NA March 1996); results - President LI Teng-hui was
reelected by the National Assembly; vice presidential election last
held 21 March 1990 (next election will probably be a direct popular
election and will be held NA March 1996); results - LI Yuan-zu was
elected by the National Assembly
cabinet:
Executive Yuan; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Yuan and unicameral National Assembly
Legislative Yuan:
elections last held 19 December 1992 (next to be held near the end of
1995); results - KMT 60%, DPP 31%, independents 9%; seats - (304
total, 161 elected) KMT 96, DPP 50, independents 15
National Assembly:
elections - first National Assembly elected in November 1946 with a
supplementary election in December 1986; second and present National
Assembly elected in December 1991; seats - (403 total) KMT 318, DPP
75, other 10; (next election to be held in 1997)
Judicial branch:
Judicial Yuan
Political parties and leaders:
Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP); Chinese New Party (CNP); Labor Party (LP)
Other political or pressure groups:
Taiwan independence movement, various environmental groups
note:
debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
and the increased representation of the opposition Democratic
Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on
the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence, both
within the DPP and the ruling Kuomintang, oppose the ruling party's
traditional stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland
China; the aims of the Taiwan independence movement include
establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other
organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United
Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation
Building
Member of:
expelled from UN General Assembly and Security Council on 25 October
1971 and withdrew on same date from other charter-designated
subsidiary organs; expelled from IMF/World Bank group April/May 1980;
seeking to join GATT; attempting to r