:Lin Fei-fan

{{Short description|Taiwanese politician and activist (born 1988)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Lin Fei-fan

| native_name = {{nobold|林飛帆}}

| image = 林飛帆副秘書長.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Official portrait, 2024

| office1 = Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Council

| term_start1 = 20 May 2024

| term_end1 =

| 1blankname1 = Secretary-General

| 1namedata1 = Joseph Wu

| alongside1 = Hsu Szu-chien and Liu Te-chin

| predecessor1 = York Chen

| successor1 =

| office2 = 22nd Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Progressive Party

| term_start2 = 15 July 2019

| term_end2 = 18 January 2023

| 1blankname2 = Secretary-General

| 1namedata2 = Luo Wen-jia
Lin Hsi-yao
Sydney Lin

| predecessor2 = Hsu Chia-ching

| successor2 = Yang Yi-shan

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1988|5|19}}

| birth_place = East, Tainan, Taiwan

| education = National Cheng Kung University (BA)
National Taiwan University (MA)
{{no wrap|London School of Economics}} (MSc)

| party = Democratic Progressive Party

| nickname =

| known_for = Leading the Sunflower Student Movement

}}

Lin Fei-fan ({{lang-zh|t=林飛帆|p=Lín Fēifán}}; born 19 May 1988) is a Taiwanese politician and activist currently serving as deputy secretary-general of Taiwan's National Security Council. Lin was one of the leaders of the Sunflower Student Movement. He joined the Democratic Progressive Party as deputy secretary-general in 2019.

Early life and education

Lin was born on 19 May 1988 in Tainan, Taiwan. He began studying public administration at National Chi Nan University before graduating from National Cheng Kung University with a bachelor's degree in political science. He then earned a master's degree in political science from National Taiwan University in 2017 and completed graduate studies in the subject in England at the London School of Economics, where he earned a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in comparative politics in 2018.[http://translate.chineseconnects.com/bio-lin-fei-fan/ Who is Lin Fei-fan/林飛帆? A brief bio of the student leader behind Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement]

Activism career

Court proceedings against 21 protesters began in June 2016. Lin was among the first to be charged with various offenses, along with Chen Wei-ting and Huang Kuo-chang.{{cite news|last1=Pan|first1=Jason|title=Sunflower leaders to face justice system 'head-on'|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2016/06/15/2003648639|accessdate=15 June 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=15 June 2016 |page=1}} In a March 2017 Taipei District Court decision, Chen, Huang, and Lin were acquitted of incitement charges.{{cite news|last1=Hou|first1=Elaine|last2=Wang|first2=Yang-yu|last3=Liu|first3=Shih-yi|title=Sunflower movement leaders acquitted over legislature occupation |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201703310008.aspx|accessdate=31 March 2017|agency=Central News Agency|date=31 March 2017}}

Political career

Lin joined the Democratic Progressive Party in July 2019 as deputy secretary-general.{{Cite web |date=15 July 2019 |title=Sunflower Leader Lin Fei-fan Joins DPP as Deputy Secretary General |url=https://international.thenewslens.com/article/122132}}{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Hsin-fang |last2=Chung |first2=Jake |title=Sunflower student leader to be DPP deputy: source |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2019/07/14/2003718649 |accessdate=15 July 2019 |work=Taipei Times |date=14 July 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Yeh |first1=Su-ping |last2=Kao |first2=Evelyn |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201907150018.aspx |title=Former student movement leader appointed DPP deputy secretary-general |accessdate=15 July 2019 |agency=Central News Agency |date=15 July 2019}}{{Cite web |last=Herait |first=Alice |date=2024-04-14 |title=Taiwan Sunflower Movement sowed the seeds of a new civil society |url=http://hongkongfp.com/2024/04/14/10-years-on-how-taiwans-sunflower-movement-sowed-the-seeds-of-a-new-civil-society/ |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}

On August 17, 2022, in the aftermath of then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, Beijing blacklisted seven Taiwanese officials, including Lin, whom state-run tabloid Global Times labeled as "diehard secessionists" for their alleged support of Taiwanese independence. They were banned from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and prohibited from maintaining financial or personal connections with mainland individuals and organizations.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-16 |title=China imposes sanctions on seven Taiwan 'secessionist' officials |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/16/china-imposes-sanctions-on-seven-taiwan-secessionist-officials |access-date=2023-11-23 |newspaper=Al Jazeera}}{{Cite news |last=Tian |first=Yew Lun |last2=Blanchard |first2=Ben |date=August 16, 2022 |title=China sanctions seven Taiwanese 'independence diehard' officials |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-sanctions-seven-taiwanese-officials-supporting-taiwan-independence-xinhua-2022-08-16/ |access-date=January 2, 2025 |work=Reuters}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-16 |title=China sets bans, sanctions on Taiwan political leaders to punish U.S., island |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/china-sets-bans-sanctions-on-taiwan-political-leaders-to-punish-u-s-island |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=PBS News |language=en-us}}

The DPP endorsed Lin's legislative candidacy in May 2023, for Taipei 3 in the 2024 Taiwanese legislative election.{{cite news |last1=Pan |first1=Jason |title=William Lai touts young candidates |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/06/01/2003800808 |access-date=14 June 2023 |work=Taipei Times |date=1 June 2023}} Lin dropped out two weeks later, after media coverage of a 2022 sexual assault allegation against a director hired by the party. Handling of the allegation was said to have been mishandled by Lin's former subordinate Hsu Chia-tien, and Lin said he would assume responsibility as head of the department.{{cite news |last1=Yeh |first1=Su-ping |last2=Wang |first2=Cheng-chung |last3=Chao |first3=Yen-hsiang |title=DPP legislative nominee Lin Fei-fan withdraws amid sexual misconduct claims |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202306130030 |access-date=14 June 2023 |agency=Central News Agency |date=13 June 2023}}{{cite news |title=Lin Fei-fan drops out of race amid assault response controversy |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2023/06/13/2003801480 |access-date=14 June 2023 |work=Taipei Times |date=13 June 2023}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-14 |title=DPP's Lin Fei-fan withdraws from election over party's handling of harassment case {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} Jun. 14, 2023 10:07 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/4918281 |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=taiwannews.com.tw |language=en}}

On May 15, 2024, Lin was appointed deputy secretary-general at Taiwan's National Security Council, effective May 20, 2024, under the leadership of Joseph Wu in the Lai Ching-te administration.{{Cite web |date=May 14, 2024 |title=Former Taiwan student protest leader to join NSC |url=https://taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5686001 |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=taiwannews.com.tw |language=en}} He is the youngest individual to hold the position.{{Cite web |last=TVBS |title=Lin Fei-fan's appointment to NSC raises eyebrows│TVBS新聞網 |url=https://news.tvbs.com.tw/english/2486971 |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=TVBS |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Lin married Lin Ya-Ping in June 2017.{{cite news|last1=Chen|first1=Kuan-pei|last2=Tang|first2=Shih-ming|title=CUPP protesters, police show up for Sunflower wedding|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2017/06/12/2003672412|accessdate=12 June 2017|work=Taipei Times|date=12 June 2017}}

Publications

= Articles =

Seeds of the Sunflower Movement, Jamestown Foundation, February 16, 2024{{Cite web |title=Seeds of the Sunflower Movement |url=https://jamestown.org/program/seeds-of-the-sunflower-movement/ |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Jamestown |language=en-US}}
Skepticism Toward U.S. Support for Taiwan Harms Regional Security, National Interest, March 15, 2023 (co-authored with Wen Lii){{Cite web |last=Fei-fan Lin |first=Wen Lii |date=2023-03-15 |title=Skepticism Toward U.S. Support for Taiwan Harms Regional Security |url=https://nationalinterest.org/feature/skepticism-toward-us-support-taiwan-harms-regional-security-206310 |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=The National Interest |language=en}}
It's time the free world commits to the defense of Taiwan, New York Times, August 12, 2022{{Cite news |date=2022-08-12 |title=Opinion {{!}} It's time the free world commits to the defense of Taiwan |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/08/12/china-taiwan-democracy-defense-free-world/ |access-date=2024-05-20 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}
Americans should stop using Taiwan to score political points against Trump and China, The Washington Post, December 6, 2016 (co-authored with Chen Wei-ting and June Lin){{Cite web |last=Lin |first=Fei-fan |author-link=Lin Fei-fan |last2=Chen |first2=Wei-ting |last3=Lin |first3=June |date=December 7, 2016 |title=Americans should stop using Taiwan to score political points against Trump and China |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2016/12/07/americans-should-stop-using-taiwan-to-score-points-against-china/ |website=Washington Post}}