Lo Chih-ming (Chinese: 羅志明; pinyin: Luó Zhìmíng; born 13 November 1957) is a Taiwanese politician and communist spy who served in the Legislative Yuan from 2002 to 2008.
Lo Chih-ming | |
|---|---|
羅志明 | |
| Member of the Legislative Yuan | |
| In office 1 February 2002 – 31 January 2008 | |
| Succeeded by | Lin Yi-shih |
| Constituency | Kaohsiung 2 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 November 1957 Wanluan, Pingtung, Taiwan |
| Nationality | Republic of China |
| Political party | Kuomintang (until 2001; since 2008) |
| Other political affiliations | Taiwan Solidarity Union (2001–2007) |
| Alma mater | National Kaohsiung Normal University St. Cloud State University University of Iowa |
Education
editLo attended National Kaohsiung Normal University in Taiwan before earning a master's degree from St. Cloud State University.[1] He then earned a doctorate in technology in 1991 at the University of Iowa.[2][3]
Political career
editLo served four terms in the Kaohsiung City Council as a member of the Kuomintang.[1][4][5] He joined the Taiwan Solidarity Union upon its founding in 2001 to run for a legislative seat in Kaohsiung.[6] In 2003, TSU legislator Su Ying-kuei was expelled from the party after charging Lo with illegal lobbying.[7] Despite the accusations, Lo won reelection in 2004 by partnering with Democratic Progressive Party candidates during the campaign,[8] and was named one of the TSU's four caucus whips at the start of his second term.[9] In January 2005, Lo dropped out of a TSU chairmanship election,[10] and Shu Chin-chiang was appointed to the position.[11] After participating in an April 2005 protest, Lo was charged with violating the Assembly and Parade Law, and stepped down as whip until he was cleared.[12] In February 2006, Lo declared his candidacy for the Kaohsiung mayoralty.[13] As mayor, Lo said he would increase childcare subsidies, and expand the city's tourism industry. He also proposed an educational program that would offer elementary school textbooks for free.[14] Chen Chu won the office, and Lo returned to the legislature. In his second reelection campaign, Lo originally stood as a Kaohsiung district incumbent,[15] but was named one of the TSU's proportional representation candidates.[16] Listed eighth on a closed party list, Lo was defeated.[17] Shortly after the loss, he rejoined the Kuomintang.[18]
After politics, Lo worked at the Xiamen subsidiary of a biotech company and led a property developer.[19]
Espionage allegation
editIn January 2023, Lo was arrested and questioned by prosecutors who alleged that he recruited retired admiral Hsia Fu-hsiang (夏復翔) and others into a mainland Chinese spy ring. A court in Kaohsiung released him on cash bail despite the investigators' request that he remain in custody.[19] The Supreme Court acquitted Lo in October 2024.[20]
References
edit- ^ a b "Lo Chih-ming (5)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Wang, Flora (8 December 2006). "Elections 2006: Lo Chih-ming sees himself as Kaohsiung's CEO mayor". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Wu, Debby (13 February 2005). "Lawmakers recall holidays spent overseas". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Huang, Tai-lin (2 June 2004). "KMT youth urge Lien to spare them any favors". Taipei Times.
- ^ Huang, Joyce (29 October 2001). "All politics is local in the southern port". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Lin, Chieh-yu; Hsu, Crystal (25 July 2001). "Party with ties to Lee picks name". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Huang, Sandy (6 August 2003). "KMT, independents wooing disgraced TSU legislator Su". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (22 November 2004). "Vote-allocation has risks, but greens confident". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Wu, Debby (2 February 2005). "Wang, Chung take speakership". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (6 January 2005). "Lo Chih-ming drops out of TSU chairmanship race". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (11 January 2005). "Su Chin-chiang takes over as chairman of the TSU". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Ko, Shu-ling (29 April 2005). "Emotions run high amid investigation of protests". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Huang, Jewel (13 February 2006). "Lo declares candidacy for mayor". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Tsai, June (24 November 2006). "Mayoral hopefuls debate issues". Taiwan Today. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Ko, Shu-ling (14 November 2007). "Lee Sen-zong to run for DPP in legislative polls". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Chang, Rich; Ko, Shu-ling (20 November 2007). "Legislator Ho to quit TSU and run as DPP candidate". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Ko, Shu-ling (20 November 2007). "TSU unveils legislator-at-large candidates". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Lee, Tuo-tze (June 2010). "Assessing the upcoming five municipal elections" (PDF). Taiwan Brain Trust. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ a b Hung, Hseuh-kang; Mazzetta, Matthew (June 2010). "Former lawmaker, retired Navy officer questioned in Chinese spy probe". Central News Agency. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- ^ Wang, Flor; Hsieh, Hsin-eng (23 October 2024). "Ex-lawmaker acquitted in China espionage case". Central News Agency. Retrieved 28 October 2024.