Julian Kuo
{{Short description|Taiwanese political scientist and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{family name hatnote|Kuo|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Julian Kuo
{{small|Kuo Jeng-liang}}
| native_name = {{nobold|郭正亮}}
| native_name_lang = zh-tw
| honorific-suffix = MLY
| image =
| imagesize =
| smallimage = VOA Chinese JulianCLKuo 14Feb12 300.jpg
| caption = Kuo in February 2012
| constituency = Republic of China
| order = Member of the Legislative Yuan
| term_start = 2 September 2016
| term_end = 31 January 2020
| predecessor = Wellington Koo
| successor =
| order2 =
| term_start2 = 1 February 2002
| term_end2 = 31 January 2008
| constituency2 = Taipei 2
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 = Justin Chou
| order3 =
| term_start3 =
| term_end3 =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1961|6|24}}
| birth_place = Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| party = Democratic Progressive Party
{{small|(until 2023)}}
| nationality = Taiwanese
| spouse =
| profession = Political scientist
| education = National Taiwan University (BA, MA)
Yale University (PhD)
}}
Kuo Jeng-liang ({{zh|t=郭正亮|p=Guō Zhèngliàng}}; born 24 June 1961), also known by his English name Julian Kuo, is a Taiwanese political scientist and politician who first served in the Legislative Yuan from 2002 to 2008 and was reappointed to the office from 2016 to 2020.
Education
After graduating from Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School, Kuo initially studied mechanical engineering at National Taiwan University (NTU) before switching to study psychology after his sophomore year. He graduated from NTU with a bachelor's degree in 1973 and completed two years of military service in the Republic of China Armed Forces before earning a master's degree in sociology from National Taiwan University in 1988. He then was awarded an Eisenhower Fellowship to complete doctoral studies in the United States, where he earned his Ph.D. in political science from Yale University in 1995 under professor James C. Scott.{{cite news|last1=Chung|first1=Oscar|title=Meet the Freshmen|url=http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=702&ctNode=2198&mp=9|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=1 March 2002}}{{cite news|last1=Mo|first1=Yan-chih|title=DPP pans EasyCard boss for taking study leave in US|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/04/09/2003440611|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=9 April 2009}} Kuo's doctoral dissertation was titled, "The Reach of the party-state organizing local politics in Taiwan."{{Cite web |title=The Reach of the party-state organisating local politics in Taiwan |url=https://ntu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991007514319704786&context=L&vid=886NTU_INST:886NTU_INST |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=ntu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com |language=en}}
Upon receiving his doctorate, Kuo returned to Taiwan and began teaching political science at Soochow University in 1993.{{cite news|last1=Lu|first1=Myra|last2=Chang|first2=Frank|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107010718/http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=16758&ctNode=451|title=Election trends indicate future of Taiwan politics|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=16758&ctNode=451|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|archivedate=7 November 2016|date=27 November 1998}} [http://taiwaninfo.nat.gov.tw/fp.asp?xItem=16758&CtNode=103 Alt URL]{{cite news|last1=Lu|first1=Myra|title=Lin opts not to run for DPP chairmanship|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=18038&ctNode=451|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=16 June 2000}}
Political career
Kuo was a member of the Democratic Progressive Party's Formosa faction and later switched affiliations to the New Tide faction.{{cite news|last1=Sheng|first1=Virginia|title=DPP's mainland policy sparks intraparty clash|archivedate=6 November 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106185511/http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=15991&CtNode=122|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=15991&CtNode=122|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=16 January 1998}} [http://taiwaninfo.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=15991&ctNode=103 Alt URL]{{cite news|last1=Chang|first1=Yun-ping|title=Factions in DPP could be near end|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/06/13/2003174859|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=13 June 2004}}
By 1998, Kuo became the executive director of the party's Policy Research and Coordinating Committee.{{cite news|last1=Sheng|first1=Virginia|title=Cross-strait impasse given close look|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/fp.asp?xItem=16132&CtNode=451|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=27 March 1998}} After he had stepped down, Kuo and Lin Cho-shui proposed that the DPP amend its charter to recognize the Republic of China as Taiwan.{{cite news|last1=Lu|first1=Myra|title=Proposal calls on DPP to recognize 'ROC'; Supporters stress resolution does not suggest change in party ideals|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=17128&ctNode=451|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=30 April 1999}} The initiative failed, and no revisions were made.{{cite news|last1=Lu|first1=Myra|title=DPP opts not to revise wording of platform|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/fp.asp?xItem=16856&CtNode=451|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=8 January 1999}} Shortly after Chen Shui-bian's election to the presidency in 2000, Kuo pushed for cross-party alliances and a coalition government to be formed.{{cite news|last1=Lu|first1=Myra|title=New premier puts emphasis on economic stability, coordination|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=18263&ctNode=451|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=13 October 2000}}{{cite news|title=Making sense of the election|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/insight/archives/2000/03/24/0000029173|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=24 March 2000}} However, in 2001, Kuo stated that he was opposed to proposals that the Democratic Progressive Party form a coalition government,{{cite news|last1=Huang|first1=Joyce|title=DPP holds discussions on alliances|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/06/20/0000090766|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=20 June 2001}} instead favoring a scenario in which the DPP disbanded and rewrote its party charter to attract a wider base before reregistering as a political party.{{cite news|last1=Huang|first1=Joyce|title=DPP holds first of coalition meets|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/05/14/0000085650|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=14 May 2001}} Kuo was first elected to the Legislative Yuan later that year as a member of the DPP, due to the efforts the party had made to ensure a competitive vote distribution in northern Taiwan by asking supporters to vote for candidates based on the last number in voters' identification cards.{{cite news|last1=Tsai|first1=Ting-i|title=DPP coordinates its voters' choices|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/11/14/0000111452|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=14 November 2001}}{{cite news|last1=Ko|first1=Shu-ling|title=Prosecutors to probe vice-speakership race|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2002/02/04/0000122697|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=4 February 2002}} In his first term Kuo backed a proposal to ban active politicians from owning media outlets and hosting programs.{{cite news|last1=Tsai|first1=Ting-i|title=DPP lawmaker wants even tougher media laws|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2003/03/20/0000198774|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=20 March 2003}} Kuo was tapped to defend the cross-strait relations referendum in March 2004, and faced Jaw Shaw-kong.{{cite news|last1=Ko|first1=Shu-ling|title=CEC announces the line-ups for 10 referendum debates|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/02/26/2003100166|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=26 February 2004}} In his successful December reelection bid, Kuo received NT$26.35 million in political donations, the third highest total of that electoral cycle.{{cite news|title=Suspect donations avoiding scrutiny|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/05/12/2003254316|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=12 May 2005}} In 2006, Kuo skipped a party debate on China policy in protest, as the Chen administration had announced changes without reaching out to the Legislative Yuan.{{cite news|last1=Huang|first1=Jewel|title=DPP lawmakers plan to boycott China policy debate|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/03/24/2003298920|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=24 March 2006}} Kuo switched districts for the 2008 legislative elections, choosing to run in Taipei 3 against John Chiang, and lost.{{cite news|title=Legislative elections and referendums (2008)|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/images/2008/01/13/TT-970113-P04-1-IB.pdf|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=13 January 2008}}
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
!No. !Candidate !Party !Votes !Ratio !Elected |
| 1
|align="right"|99,959 |align="right"|60.25% |align="center"| |
| 2
|Li Lin Yao (李林耀) |Taiwan Constitution Association |align="right"|128 |align="right"|0.08% | |
| 3
|Sie Fu Mi (謝馥米) |align="right"|1,854 |align="right"|1.12% | |
| 4
|Jian Ruei Kuan (簡瑞寬) |Taiwan Constitution Association |align="right"|176 |align="right"|0.11% | |
| 5
|Julian Kuo | Democratic Progressive Party |align="right"|63,773 |align="right"|38.44% | |
When Taiwan signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with China in 2010, Kuo was named the spokesman of a DPP-convened committee against the agreement.{{cite news|last1=Ko|first1=Shu-ling|title=Taiwan, Singapore mull trade accord|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/front/archives/2010/08/06/2003479720|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=6 August 2010}}{{cite news|last1=Ko|first1=Shu-ling|last2=Shih|first2=Hsiu-chuan|last3=Chao|first3=Vincent Y.|title=MAC focuses on ECFA termination clause|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2010/06/30/2003476761|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=30 June 2010}} Kuo participated in a primary for Taipei 2 in 2011, but was not selected as DPP candidate for the constituency.{{cite news|last1=Tseng|first1=Wei-chen|title=Tuan Yi-kang bows out of DPP primary for Shilin-Datong|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/03/20/2003498654|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=20 March 2011}} He was invited to speak at a political forum held in Hong Kong in August 2016, but authorities there denied him a visa.{{cite news|last1=Chen|first1=Wei-han|title=Former KMT spokesman Yang denied visa for HK|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/08/24/2003653755|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=24 August 2016}} Kuo returned to the legislature in September, filling Wellington Koo's seat after Koo had resigned to lead the Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee.{{cite news|last1=Hsiao|first1=Alison|title=Julian Kuo sworn in to take over Koo's legislative seat|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/09/03/2003654412|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=3 September 2016}}
After completing Koo's legislative term in 2020 Kuo stepped down. Kuo subsequently drew attention for criticizing the party on political television programs, announced his withdrawal from the party in May 2023, and was formally expelled in February 2024.{{cite news |last1=Yeh |first1=Su-ping |last2=Huang |first2=Frances |title=DPP expels 50 party members including Ex-Legislator Julian Kuo |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202402010023 |access-date=February 3, 2024 |agency=Central News Agency |date=February 2, 2024}} Republished as: {{cite news |title=DPP expels 50 members |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/02/03/2003813022 |work=Taipei Times |date=3 February 2024}}{{cite news |title=郭正亮退黨 民進黨：嚴重破壞黨譽依黨內程序處理 |url=https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202305190071.aspx |access-date=3 February 2024 |agency=Central News Agency |date=19 May 2023 |language=zh}}
Political stances
Kuo has stated "I'm culturally Chinese but politically not,"{{cite news|title=Elusive answers to ethnic issues|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/fp.asp?xItem=17833&CtNode=451|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=4 March 2000}} described Lee Teng-hui's China policy as "fitful" and "reactive",{{cite news|last1=Dreyer|first1=June Teufel|title=History Will Be the Judge|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=854&ctNode=2177|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=1 June 2003}} reiterated support for continued dialogue between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait,{{cite news|last1=Hwang|first1=Jim|title=Image Metamorphosis|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=1255&ctNode=2198&mp=9|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=1 March 1998}}{{cite news|last1=Sheng|first1=Virginia|title=DPP factions unite in mainland policy meeting|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107011155/http://www.taiwantoday.tw/fp.asp?xItem=16053&CtNode=451|archivedate=7 November 2016|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/fp.asp?xItem=16053&CtNode=451|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=20 February 1998}} [http://taiwaninfo.nat.gov.tw/fp.asp?xItem=16053&CtNode=103 Alt URL] and has repeatedly advocated for the Democratic Progressive Party to suspend Taiwan independence as a core value.{{cite news|last1=Wang|first1=Chris|title=DPP still split over Ker's independence clause plan|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2013/12/30/2003580098|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=30 December 2013}}{{cite news|title='Independence clause freeze will help DPP': Kuo|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2014/07/23/2003595749|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=23 July 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Loa|first1=Iok-sin|title=Members spark DPP charter debate|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/06/17/2003648821|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=17 June 2016}} These actions have led to characterization of his political beliefs as supportive of China, a description he regards as inaccurate.{{cite news|title=Former lawmaker denies allegations that he is pro-China|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/08/13/2003653027|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=13 August 2016}}
Kuo has sharply criticized the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement signed in 2010,{{cite news|last1=Chao|first1=Vincent Y.|title=Hundreds of thousands expected to rally against ECFA|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/06/14/2003475440|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=14 June 2010}}{{cite news|last1=Chao|first1=Vincent Y.|last2=Lowther|first2=William|title=Opposition vows '10-year' ECFA fight|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2010/06/05/2003474705|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=5 June 2010}} calling it "a travesty of an agreement" that would leave Taiwan too economically dependent on China if the mainland forced other nations to back away from free trade agreements with Taiwan.{{cite news|last1=Kuo|first1=Julian|title=ECFA just can't stand up to scrutiny|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2010/07/08/2003477343|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=8 July 2010}}{{cite news|last1=Chung|first1=Oscar|title=Leading Taiwan to a Better Tomorrow|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=102734&ctNode=2177|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taiwan Today|date=1 June 2010}}
Kuo is an occasional contributor to the Taipei Times.{{cite news|last1=Kuo|first1=Julian|title=Chang benefits Soong'scampaign|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/1999/11/21/0000011526|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=21 November 1999}}{{cite news|last1=Kuo|first1=Julian|title=DPP is 'all talk and no action'|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2013/06/30/2003565968|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=30 June 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Kuo|first1=Julian|title=President runs for win over rival|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2013/09/12/2003571921|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=12 September 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Kuo|first1=Julian|title=Answers needed from debate, not posturing|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2013/09/05/2003571378|accessdate=6 November 2016|work=Taipei Times|date=5 September 2013}}
References
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Category:Democratic Progressive Party Members of the Legislative Yuan
Category:Taipei Members of the Legislative Yuan
Category:Members of the 5th Legislative Yuan
Category:Members of the 6th Legislative Yuan
Category:Members of the 9th Legislative Yuan
Category:Yale University alumni
Category:National Taiwan University alumni
Category:Academic staff of Soochow University (Taiwan)
Category:Politicians of the Republic of China on Taiwan from Kaohsiung