Think Think and Ah Tsai
{{short description|Cats belonging to Tsai Ing-wen}}
{{Infobox animal
| name = Think Think and Ah Tsai
| image = {{multiple image|perrow=1|image1=07.22 總統錄製Youtube影片.jpg|caption1 = Think Think|image2=04.12 總統觀賞中華職棒比賽 Tsai Ing-Wen watching baseball with Ah Tsai.jpg|caption2 = Ah Tsai|image_style=border:none|width=260|align=center}}
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| othername = Xiǎngxiǎng or 'Cookie'; and Ācái
| species = Cat
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| gender = Female and Male
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| birth_place = Taiwan
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| nationality = Taiwanese
| occupation = Presidential cats
| employer =
| role = Companionship, election support
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| owner = Tsai Ing-wen
| residence = Official Residence of the President (Republic of China)
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}}
Think Think ({{zh|c=想想|p=Xiǎngxiǎng}}) and Ah Tsai ({{zh|c=阿才|p=Ācái|labels=no}}) are two cats belonging to the former president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen. Think Think is a female gray tabby, while Ah Tsai is a male ginger tabby.{{cite news |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/989665/taiwans-cat-loving-president-to-adopt-retired-guide-dogs |title=Taiwan's cat-loving president to adopt retired guide dogs |newspaper=Bangkok Post |date=26 May 2016 |accessdate=21 June 2016 |url-access=subscription }}
Origin of the cats
Think Think was adopted by Tsai in 2012,{{cite news |url=http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Tsai-Ing-wen-sworn-in-as-Taiwan-s-1st-female-president |title=Tsai Ing-wen sworn in as Taiwan's 1st female president |newspaper=Nikkei Asian Review |date=20 May 2016 |accessdate=18 June 2016 |archive-date=10 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810030944/http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Tsai-Ing-wen-sworn-in-as-Taiwan-s-1st-female-president |url-status=dead }} after being brought to her as a homeless kitten by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Hsiao Bi-khim. Hsiao had found the kitten on a muddy road by a railway station near Hualien after Typhoon Saola.{{cite news|title=一場颱風 讓蔡想想走進小英心裡|trans-title=A Typhoon Brought Think Think to Tsai Ing-wen's Heart|date=2016-01-20|publisher=UDN.com|author=游婉琪|url=http://udn.com/news/story/7741/1454847-%E4%B8%80%E5%A0%B4%E9%A2%B1%E9%A2%A8-%E8%AE%93%E8%94%A1%E6%83%B3%E6%83%B3%E8%B5%B0%E9%80%B2%E5%B0%8F%E8%8B%B1%E5%BF%83%E8%A3%A1|accessdate=2016-02-03|archive-date=2016-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124042525/http://udn.com/news/story/7741/1454847-%E4%B8%80%E5%A0%B4%E9%A2%B1%E9%A2%A8-%E8%AE%93%E8%94%A1%E6%83%B3%E6%83%B3%E8%B5%B0%E9%80%B2%E5%B0%8F%E8%8B%B1%E5%BF%83%E8%A3%A1|url-status=dead}} Tsai named the kitten after "Thinking Taiwan" ({{lang-zh|t=想想論壇}}), an education foundation she was working on at the time.{{cite news|title=新任第一家庭寵物「蔡想想」 紅過貓奴總統蔡英文|trans-title=New First Pet "Think Think" Stole the Spotlight from President Tsai Ing-wen|date=2016-01-18|publisher=Ming Pao|url=http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160118/s00004/1453129795842|accessdate=2016-02-03|archive-date=2016-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122231828/http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160118/s00004/1453129795842}}
Ah Tsai (meaning 'talent') was a farm cat, and a gift from a friend during Tsai's presidential campaign. The cat was found near a pineapple field in Taitung County in eastern Taiwan.{{Cite web|last=姜庚宇|date=2019-02-14|title=【情人節】蔡英文「曬」愛貓照 與貓共度：只要有愛就是好日子|url=https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E/294719/%E6%83%85%E4%BA%BA%E7%AF%80-%E8%94%A1%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87-%E6%9B%AC-%E6%84%9B%E8%B2%93%E7%85%A7-%E8%88%87%E8%B2%93%E5%85%B1%E5%BA%A6-%E5%8F%AA%E8%A6%81%E6%9C%89%E6%84%9B%E5%B0%B1%E6%98%AF%E5%A5%BD%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90|access-date=2020-07-13|website=HK01|language=zh-HK|archive-date=2020-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713100529/https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E/294719/%E6%83%85%E4%BA%BA%E7%AF%80-%E8%94%A1%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87-%E6%9B%AC-%E6%84%9B%E8%B2%93%E7%85%A7-%E8%88%87%E8%B2%93%E5%85%B1%E5%BA%A6-%E5%8F%AA%E8%A6%81%E6%9C%89%E6%84%9B%E5%B0%B1%E6%98%AF%E5%A5%BD%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90|url-status=live}}
Prior to her election as president, Tsai lived in a modest apartment with the two cats.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/12058825/China-sends-warning-to-Taiwan-as-it-prepares-to-elect-first-woman-president.html |title=China sends warning to Taiwan as it prepares to elect first woman president |first1=Julian |last1=Ryall |first2=Richard |last2=Spencer |date=1 January 2016 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=4 April 2018 |archive-date=30 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830174133/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/taiwan/12058825/China-sends-warning-to-Taiwan-as-it-prepares-to-elect-first-woman-president.html |url-status=live }} Think Think was originally skinny, covered in mud and suffering from skin diseases – but soon recovered under Tsai's care.{{Cite web|last=风采|date=2020-03-17|title=《平民女总统蔡英文》2：怀胎得女 她是蔡想想的妈|url=https://feminine.com.my/news/%e3%80%8a%e5%b9%b3%e6%b0%91%e5%a5%b3%e6%80%bb%e7%bb%9f%e8%94%a1%e8%8b%b1%e6%96%87%e3%80%8b2%ef%bc%9a%e6%80%80%e8%83%8e%e5%be%97%e5%a5%b3-%e5%a5%b9%e6%98%af%e8%94%a1%e6%83%b3%e6%83%b3%e7%9a%84%e5%a6%88/|access-date=2020-07-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713105047/https://feminine.com.my/news/%E3%80%8A%E5%B9%B3%E6%B0%91%E5%A5%B3%E6%80%BB%E7%BB%9F%E8%94%A1%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87%E3%80%8B2%EF%BC%9A%E6%80%80%E8%83%8E%E5%BE%97%E5%A5%B3-%E5%A5%B9%E6%98%AF%E8%94%A1%E6%83%B3%E6%83%B3%E7%9A%84%E5%A6%88/|url-status=live}} Tsai says that the cats generally get along well with each other, but do fight occasionally.{{Cite web|last=中時電子報|title=鄭宏輝搶攻寵物票 蔡英文力挺到底 - 政治|url=https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20191015002961-260407?chdtv|access-date=2020-07-13|website=中時電子報|date=15 October 2019 |language=zh-Hant-TW|archive-date=2020-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713140902/https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20191015002961-260407?chdtv|url-status=live}}
Social media updates
File:Tsai Ing-wen at Hsinchu Animal Protection Education Park, Taiwan.jpg
File:Tsai Ing-wen in Shenkeng Old Street, New Taipei City.jpg
During her presidency, Tsai has regularly posted social media updates which include her cats, and these are popular.{{Cite book|last=《中國密報》編輯部|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LgZGDAAAQBAJ&q=%E8%94%A1%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87+%E6%83%B3%E6%83%B3+%E9%98%BF%E6%89%8D&pg=PT141|title=《中國密報》第46期: 江澤民導演習李鬥？|date=2016-06-02|publisher=中國密報雜誌社|isbn=978-1-68182-163-4|language=zh-TW|access-date=2021-08-06|archive-date=2023-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014204934/https://books.google.com/books?id=LgZGDAAAQBAJ&q=%E8%94%A1%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87+%E6%83%B3%E6%83%B3+%E9%98%BF%E6%89%8D&pg=PT141#v=snippet&q=%E8%94%A1%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87%20%E6%83%B3%E6%83%B3%20%E9%98%BF%E6%89%8D&f=false|url-status=live}} During the COVID-19 pandemic, one of these posts discouraged Taiwanese citizens from performing April Fools' Day pranks which involved false rumours. Posting a picture of herself with one of the cats, she said: "...we can exercise our sense of humor...but we can’t make jokes about the pandemic, to avoid breaking the law", and: "I wish everybody not only a humorous, but also healthy and safe April Fools’ Day".{{Cite web|last=Submission|first=Internal|date=2020-04-01|title=Pandemic pranks off the table on April Fools' Day|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/04/01/world/pandemic-pranks-off-table-april-fools-day/|access-date=2020-07-09|website=The Japan Times|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713100533/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/04/01/world/pandemic-pranks-off-table-april-fools-day/|url-status=dead}}
When baseball games resumed after Taiwan's pandemic lockdown was partially lifted, with the Chinatrust Brothers taking on the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions, Tsai posted a picture of herself watching the game at home, accompanied by one of the cats.{{Cite web|last=hermes|date=2020-04-14|title=Taiwan first up to the plate|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/taiwan-first-up-to-the-plate|access-date=2020-07-09|website=The Straits Times|language=en|archive-date=2020-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711130213/https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/taiwan-first-up-to-the-plate|url-status=live}} A new Twitter hashtag – #ThisAttackComeFromTaiwan – aims to welcome overseas visitors to Taiwan after the pandemic, and includes images of Taiwanese landscapes, bubble tea, and Tsai's cats.{{Cite news|last=Aspinwall|first=Nick|title=Tsai Rejects Accusations Taiwan Attacked WHO Chief, Invites Him to Visit|url=https://thediplomat.com/2020/04/tsai-rejects-accusations-taiwan-attacked-who-chief-invites-him-to-visit/|access-date=2020-07-09|website=thediplomat.com|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709075128/https://thediplomat.com/2020/04/tsai-rejects-accusations-taiwan-attacked-who-chief-invites-him-to-visit/|url-status=live}}
In 2019, Tsai posted pictures on social media of Ah Tsai attentively watching television, and enjoying the Animal Channel.{{Cite web|last=三立新聞網|date=2019-02-07|title=「蔡阿才」看電視遭蔡英文偷拍！不科學身材引網友熱議 {{!}} 政治 {{!}} 三立新聞網 SETN.COM|url=https://www.setn.com/News.aspx?NewsID=496078|access-date=2020-07-13|website=www.setn.com|language=zh-Hant-TW|archive-date=2022-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118182411/https://www.setn.com/News.aspx?NewsID=496078|url-status=live}} On Valentine's Day in 2019, Tsai's message to citizens featured the two cats. In the lead up to the 2020 election, Tsai advised her supporters to ignore 'fake news' about the cats' health, and that they were in fine form.{{Cite web|title=蔡英文秀貓活蹦亂跳 稱不要在網路造謠|url=https://www.ctwant.com/article/10420|access-date=2020-07-13|website=www.ctwant.com|date=13 October 2019 |language=zh-Hant-TW|archive-date=2020-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713092751/https://www.ctwant.com/article/10420|url-status=live}}
In July 2020, Tsai visited the Hsinchu Animal Protection Education Park, where she made a statement urging citizens who wanted pets to adopt stray animals, instead of purchasing them.{{Cite web|title=參訪新竹市動保園區 總統呼籲國人「以認養代替購買」 讓無家可歸的毛小孩重新開始新的生活|url=https://www.president.gov.tw/NEWS/25441|access-date=2020-07-24|website=www.president.gov.tw|language=zh-tw|archive-date=2020-07-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724233822/https://www.president.gov.tw/NEWS/25441|url-status=live}}
Media coverage
=Supporters and critics=
Shortly after Tsai was elected as president in 2016, she was criticised for being a single woman – and therefore 'emotional' and 'erratic' – in a newspaper article published by China's state news agency Xinhua.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/world/asia/china-taiwan-tsai-unmarried-single.html |title=Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan's First Female Leader, Is Assailed in China for Being 'Emotional' |first1=Javier C. |last1=Hernández |first2=Vanessa Piao |last2=May |date=25 May 2016 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=3 March 2017 |archive-date=17 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117084611/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/world/asia/china-taiwan-tsai-unmarried-single.html |url-status=live }} The article, written by Wang Weixing{{cite news |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/sexist-remarks-on-tsai-ing-wen-spark-outrage-in-china-taiwan |title=Sexist remarks on Tsai Ing-wen spark outrage in China, Taiwan |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=26 May 2016 |accessdate=19 June 2016 |archive-date=29 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629063839/http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/sexist-remarks-on-tsai-ing-wen-spark-outrage-in-china-taiwan |url-status=live }} a military officer in the PLA, provoked an outcry for its sexist views, and was quickly withdrawn.{{cite web |url=http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2016/05/25/taiwan-president-accused-of-being-extremist-and-erratic-because-she-is-single/ |title=Taiwan president accused of being "extremist" and "erratic" because she is single |author=WITW Staff |website=Women in the World |date=20 May 2016 |accessdate=19 June 2016 |archive-date=11 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811204350/http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2016/05/25/taiwan-president-accused-of-being-extremist-and-erratic-because-she-is-single/ |url-status=live }}
Taiwanese activist magazine New Bloom describes her as 'an unorthodox politician... a female academic who loves cats and supports gay rights'.{{cite web |url=http://newbloommag.net/2016/01/18/taiwan-narrative-tsai/ |title=Is the Narrative About Taiwan Changing After Tsai Ing-Wen's Presidential Victory? |first=Brian |last=Hioe |website=New Bloom |date=18 January 2016 |accessdate=21 June 2016 |archive-date=14 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014204935/https://newbloommag.net/2016/01/18/taiwan-narrative-tsai/ |url-status=live }} Gideon Rachman of the Financial Times observes that Tsai is one of two cat-lovers who have recently risen to power – the other being Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party.{{cite web |url=https://next.ft.com/content/165b3e09-847e-3e05-930e-33ea5802b7b6 |title=Rise of the cat leaders |first=Gideon |last=Rachman |newspaper=Financial Times |date=1 June 2016 |accessdate=20 June 2016 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=14 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014204938/https://www.ft.com/content/165b3e09-847e-3e05-930e-33ea5802b7b6 |url-status=live }}
In June 2016, while in Miami, Tsai met Taiwanese professional baseball pitcher Wei-Yin Chen, whose gifts to her included feeding bowls for each of the two cats and three adopted dogs.{{cite web |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201606260009.aspx |title=U.S. representative welcomes Tsai in Miami, voices support for Taiwan |first1=Tony |last1=Liao |first2=Sophia |last2=Yeh |first3=Elizabeth |last3=Hsu |website=Focus Taiwan |publisher=Central News Agency |date=26 June 2016 |accessdate=27 June 2016 |archive-date=27 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627061829/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201606260009.aspx |url-status=live }}
=Five dogs=
After first being sworn in as president, Tsai also announced plans to adopt three retired guide dogs once she moves into her official residence.{{cite news |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwans-cat-loving-president-tsai-ing-wen-to-adopt-3-retired-guide-dogs |title=Taiwan's cat-loving President Tsai Ing-wen to adopt 3 retired guide dogs |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=26 May 2016 |accessdate=18 June 2016 |archive-date=29 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529130857/http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwans-cat-loving-president-tsai-ing-wen-to-adopt-3-retired-guide-dogs |url-status=live }} The media in Taiwan asked Tsai whether she anticipated any conflict with her cats, but she said that the dogs "are very well trained and they can definitely get along with the cats".
Other observers attempted to draw parallels with Taiwan's political situation. Alex Lo, writing in Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, has suggested that Tsai's adoption of the dogs is a good sign for relations between Taiwan and Mainland China.{{cite web |url=http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1956856/tale-cats-dogs-and-cross-strait-relations |title=A tale of cats, dogs and cross-strait relations |first=Alex |last=Lo |newspaper=South China Morning Post |date=27 May 2016 |accessdate=19 June 2016 |archive-date=31 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531173601/http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1956856/tale-cats-dogs-and-cross-strait-relations |url-status=live }} He proposes that the Taiwanese are 'cat people', while the mainland Chinese are 'dog people' – citing a psychological study indicating cat lovers are 11 per cent more open to 'unusual ideas', while dog people are more 'conventional and traditional'. In Singapore, The Straits Times dismissed as media speculation any suggestion of a 'civil war' between Tsai's cats and dogs.{{cite news |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwans-cat-loving-president-to-adopt-dogs-too |title=Taiwan's cat-loving President to adopt dogs too |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=26 May 2016 |access-date=20 June 2016 |archive-date=28 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528160959/http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwans-cat-loving-president-to-adopt-dogs-too |url-status=live }}
Tsai adopted the dogs in October 2016, and their names are Bella, Bunny and Maru. She signed their adoption papers at a ceremony organised by the Huikuang Guide Dog Foundation, where she vowed to improve the barrier-free environment for visually impaired people and their seeing-eye dogs.{{cite web |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2016/11/03/2003658436 |title=President Tsai adopts three retired guide dogs 蔡英文總統 收養三隻退役導盲犬 |publisher=Taipei Times |date=2017-01-14 |accessdate=2017-01-20 |archive-date=2017-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202000627/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2016/11/03/2003658436 |url-status=live }} Of the three dogs, Tsai has described Bella as her favourite; while Bunny is 'elegant' and Maru is 'timid'.{{Cite web|title=獨／蔡英文形容3愛犬：Maru最膽小、Bella最愛吃、Bunny最優雅 {{!}} ETtoday新聞雲|url=https://www.ettoday.net/news/20190207/1371858.htm|access-date=2020-07-13|website=www.ettoday.net|date=7 February 2019 |language=zh-Hant|archive-date=2020-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004112703/https://www.ettoday.net/news/20190207/1371858.htm|url-status=live}} Bella died in September 2023, and Maru died in August 2024.{{cite news |title=Ex-President Tsai Ing-wen mourns the loss of her dog Maru |url=https://news.tvbs.com.tw/english/2591050 |access-date=8 March 2025 |publisher=TVBS |date=20 August 2024}} Tsai later adopted Lele and Pineapple.{{cite news |title=Soon-to-retire therapy dog Oba charms ex-President Tsai Ing-wen |url=https://english.ftvnews.com.tw/news/2025305W04EA |access-date=8 March 2025 |publisher=FTV News |date=5 March 2025}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T80hLxqayA Video]
Election campaigns
= 2015–2016 =
{{Main|2016 Taiwanese presidential election}}
Think Think and Ah Tsai featured as part of Tsai's presidential campaign in 2015 and 2016,{{cite web |url=http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201510110006.aspx |title=Campaign focuses on Tsai Ing-wen's pets |first1=S.P. |last1=Yeh |first2=Lillian |last2=Lin |website=Focus Taiwan |publisher=Central News Agency |date=11 October 2015 |accessdate=18 June 2016 |archive-date=12 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012103926/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201510110006.aspx |url-status=live }} with the press sometimes referring to her as 'Cat Woman'.{{cite news |url=http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1902288/cat-woman-taiwans-first-female-president-huge-fan |title=Cat Woman: Taiwan's first female president huge fan of felines |first=Nectar |last=Gan |newspaper=South China Morning Post |date=18 January 2016 |accessdate=18 June 2016 |archive-date=18 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918142644/http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1902288/cat-woman-taiwans-first-female-president-huge-fan |url-status=live }} During the campaign, Tsai's Facebook pages on cat-related topics received many more hits than pages discussing policy issues – with the rate of 'likes' being up to 50 percent higher.
A page showing Ah Tsai receiving a vaccination on World Animal Day was especially popular, with nearly 30,000 'likes' (as of October 2015). Her campaign team produced an animated film, Cat in a Paper Carton – Think Think; and the feline also appeared in Light up Taiwan, a book outlining Tsai's political views.
Tsai's love of cats is well known among her supporters, and young people in particular are fans of the two cats.{{cite news |first=Chew |last=Hui Min |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwans-first-woman-president-10-things-you-should-know-about-tsai-ing-wen |title=Taiwan's first woman president: 10 things you should know about Tsai Ing-wen |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=20 May 2016 |accessdate=18 June 2016 |archive-date=16 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616154119/http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwans-first-woman-president-10-things-you-should-know-about-tsai-ing-wen |url-status=live }} Her Chinese New Year video message in 2015 included a grey tabby cat trying to break free from her arms. As part of her campaign, Tsai and her cats were transformed into anime video characters.{{cite web |url=http://en.rocketnews24.com/2016/01/19/taiwans-president-elect-tsai-ing-wen-appears-as-cute-moe-anime-girl-in-awesome-campaign-videos/ |first=Oona |last=McGee |title=Taiwan's president-elect Tsai Ing-wen appears as cute moe anime girl in awesome campaign videos |website=RocketNews24 |date=19 January 2016 |accessdate=20 June 2016 |archive-date=26 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626054704/http://en.rocketnews24.com/2016/01/19/taiwans-president-elect-tsai-ing-wen-appears-as-cute-moe-anime-girl-in-awesome-campaign-videos/ |url-status=live }} The animated cartoon was not in Mandarin, the language promoted by the ROC government for decades, but Taiwanese, a language which was once scorned by Tsai's opponents, the previously dominant Kuomintang (KMT).{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21702223-taiwans-obsession-japanese-kawaii-culture-hello-kitty-goodbye-panda |title=Hello Kitty, goodbye panda |newspaper=The Economist |date=16 July 2016 |accessdate=16 July 2016 |archive-date=15 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715155308/http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21702223-taiwans-obsession-japanese-kawaii-culture-hello-kitty-goodbye-panda |url-status=live }}
Davina Tham of the Taipei Times said that Tsai personifies the nation's attitudes toward women in power.{{Cite web|date=2019-02-14|title=Boom, zap, pow: Tsai Ing-wen saves the day - Taipei Times|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2019/02/14/2003709694|access-date=2020-07-26|website=www.taipeitimes.com|archive-date=2020-07-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726115917/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2019/02/14/2003709694|url-status=live}} Tham cites a comic strip created in 2016 by "Stupid Sheep" called Presidential Slave to Cats, portraying a cartoon likeness of Tsai juggling presidential duties with her devotion to Think Think and Ah Tsai. Tham also cites another cartoonist, Wei Tsung-cheng, who created Conqueror of the Seas, which portrays a young girl named Ing who grows up on a patriarchal island-nation; and overthrows oppressive forces which terrorise her people.
Celebrating Tsai's election victory, the national postal agency, Chunghua Post, created a special stamp issue. It featured people from all walks of life, along with a dog and a cat; and drew attention to issues of equality and cultural diversity in Taiwan.{{Cite web|last=中華郵政|date=2016-01-13|title=中華郵政全球資訊網|url=https://www.post.gov.tw/post/internet/W_stamphouse/index_en.jsp?ID=2807&file_name=B332&stamp_cat_standard=Commemorative%20Stamps&type=2805|access-date=2020-07-09|website=中華郵政|archive-date=2020-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708093529/https://www.post.gov.tw/post/internet/W_stamphouse/index_en.jsp?ID=2807&file_name=B332&stamp_cat_standard=Commemorative%20Stamps&type=2805|url-status=live}} The pixelated faces of the President and Vice President were intended to express the idea that these are individuals who embody the collective spirit and style of the nation. Other icons represented various occupations, genders, social roles and ethnic groups. It was the first ever Taiwanese stamp not to feature the national flag.{{Cite web|date=2016-04-22|title=New Stamps Celebrating Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen|url=http://www.trickytaipei.com/tsai-ing-wen-stamps/|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Tricky Taipei|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708083007/http://www.trickytaipei.com/tsai-ing-wen-stamps/|url-status=live}}
= 2020 =
{{Main|2020 Taiwanese presidential election}}
Tsai's re-election campaign made use of both cat and dog imagery.{{Cite web|first=|last=|date=2020-01-11|title=Taiwan's president sweeps to reelection, setting the stage for chilly relations with China|url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-01-11/taiwans-president-sweeps-to-re-election-setting-the-stage-for-chilly-relations-with-china|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708114659/https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-01-11/taiwans-president-sweeps-to-re-election-setting-the-stage-for-chilly-relations-with-china|url-status=live}} Also included were videos of her frolicking with the two cats and three dogs.{{Cite magazine|title=Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen Seeks Re-Election in the Last Truly Free Place in the Chinese-Speaking World|url=https://time.com/5762023/tsai-ing-wen-preserve-taiwan-democracy/|access-date=2020-07-08|magazine=Time|archive-date=2020-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709030901/https://time.com/5762023/tsai-ing-wen-preserve-taiwan-democracy/|url-status=live}} Taiwan News called one of her cats the "purrfect" running mate, and her supporters wore T-shirts calling the President a "slave to cats".{{Cite web|title=Photo of the Day: Taiwan president's purrfect running mate|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3819487|access-date=2020-07-08|website=Taiwan News|date=18 November 2019|archive-date=2020-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408132817/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3819487|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/as-taiwan-goes-to-the-polls-tsai-says-the-choice-is-between-democracy-or-dictatorship/2020/01/07/2119a620-310a-11ea-971b-43bec3ff9860_story.html |title=As Taiwan goes to the polls, Tsai says the choice is democracy or dictatorship |date=2020-01-08 |orig-date=2020-01-07 |author1=Anna Fifield |newspaper=The Washington Post |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409 |access-date=2020-07-08 |archive-date=2020-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603172352/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/as-taiwan-goes-to-the-polls-tsai-says-the-choice-is-between-democracy-or-dictatorship/2020/01/07/2119a620-310a-11ea-971b-43bec3ff9860_story.html |url-status=live }}{{WaPoCheckDates}} A campaign store was set up, where visitors could take selfies with Tsai's dogs.{{Cite web|last=Hioe|first=Brian|date=2020-01-08|title=Aesthetics and Politics in 2020 Elections|url=https://newbloommag.net/2020/01/09/aesthetics-politics-2020/|access-date=2020-07-09|website=New Bloom Magazine|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608231637/https://newbloommag.net/2020/01/09/aesthetics-politics-2020/|url-status=live}}
Tsai appeared wearing a pair of pink cat ears in a DPP campaign rally advertisement, which was posted on social media by Freddy Lim, frontman of death metal band Chthonic, and also himself a politician.{{Cite web|title=Photo of the Day: Cat ears, cosplay, death metal featured in Taiwan campaign ad|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3854070|access-date=2020-07-09|website=Taiwan News|date=10 January 2020|archive-date=2020-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111190836/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3854070|url-status=live}} Although Lim is founder of the New Power Party (NPP), he ran as an independent after a dispute about the NPP's relationship with the ruling DPP.{{Cite web|title=Freddy Lim triumphs in Taipei pan-blue bastion|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3855115|access-date=2020-07-11|website=Taiwan News|date=11 January 2020|archive-date=2020-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713125603/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3855115|url-status=live}} Despite his role as an independent, Lim had been voicing his support for the DPP's Tsai Ing-wen.
Other publicity material in the Tsai campaign included a pillow in the shape of Taiwan, and a hot sauce which was a pun on Tsai's "Hot Taiwanese Girl" nickname.{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=T. N. L.|date=2019-12-25|title=Taiwan 2020: How These Politicians Got Their Funny Nicknames|url=https://international.thenewslens.com/feature/taiwan2020/129218|access-date=2020-07-09|website=The News Lens International Edition|language=en|archive-date=2020-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212172919/https://international.thenewslens.com/feature/taiwan2020/129218|url-status=live}}
Tsai was mocked by the Chinese Communist Party for posting a cosplay "magic girls" avatar on Facebook.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-10|title=Her cat shares her campaign poster but Taiwan's President is anything but soft|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/taiwans-iron-cat-lady-tsai-ing-wen-and-her-cute-campaign/11851644|access-date=2020-07-09|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU|archive-date=2020-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416215805/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/taiwans-iron-cat-lady-tsai-ing-wen-and-her-cute-campaign/11851644|url-status=live}} However, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's China correspondent Bill Birtles says that Tsai's "cute" campaign style belies a much harder edge. The New Daily called her Taiwan's "Iron Cat Lady".{{Cite web|date=2020-01-10|title=Taiwan's Iron Cat Lady Tsai Ing-wen leads poll results for presidency|url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2020/01/11/taiwan-presidential-election-tsai-ing-wen/|access-date=2020-07-09|website=The New Daily|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726080351/https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2020/01/11/taiwan-presidential-election-tsai-ing-wen/|url-status=live}}
During the 2020 election, several other politicians associated themselves with animals, pets or anime characters – such as Lii Wen, who appeared in a video wearing a pair of wings in the shape of mussels. Writing for New Bloom, Brian Hioe suggested at least one was following Tsai's lead; highlighting main presidential rival Han Kuo-yu, who appeared with imagery of his pet Shiba Inu. Taiwan's Digital Minister, Audrey Tang, says that politicians using internet memes and cat pictures reflects a 'coming out' of digital subcultures.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-13|title=The civic hacker that became Digital Minister of Taiwan: interview with Audrey Tang|url=https://digitalfuturesociety.com/interviews/the-civic-hacker-that-became-digital-minister-of-taiwan-interview-with-audrey-tang/|access-date=2020-08-03|website=Digital Future Society|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904155724/https://digitalfuturesociety.com/interviews/the-civic-hacker-that-became-digital-minister-of-taiwan-interview-with-audrey-tang/|url-status=live}}
After Tsai was elected to her second term, she was congratulated by the Hong Kong Cat Society, a cat welfare organisation, which issued a statement describing her victory as 'a win for cats'.{{Cite web|title=【最強貓奴】貓界狂賀蔡英文成功連任 「請台灣第一貓繼續統治台灣」|url=https://hk.appledaily.com/lifestyle/20200112/EGWD257WCZT7YK4RWLDGIG24N4/|access-date=2020-07-26|website=Apple Daily 蘋果日報|language=zh-hk|archive-date=2020-07-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726120017/https://hk.appledaily.com/lifestyle/20200112/EGWD257WCZT7YK4RWLDGIG24N4/|url-status=dead}}
Feline culture in Taiwan
Cats are generally popular as pets in Taiwan, with the cat population increasing rapidly in recent years.{{cite web |url=https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=10&post=21681 |title=Taiwan's love affair with cats purrs ahead |website=Taiwan Today |date=16 February 2016 |access-date=29 June 2022 |archive-date=29 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629075759/https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=10&post=21681 |url-status=live }} The world's first cat café, named "Cat Flower Garden", opened in Taipei in 1998,{{cite web |last=Galloway |first=Lindsey |url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20120402-worldwide-weird-feline-fun-in-japans-cat-cafes |title=Travel: Feline fun in Japan's cat cafes |website=BBC Worldwide |date=3 April 2012 |accessdate=19 June 2016 |archive-date=4 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304111918/http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20120402-worldwide-weird-feline-fun-in-japans-cat-cafes |url-status=live }} and by 2016 there was also a "Cathy Hotel" especially for cats. The Taiwanese cat café concept spread to Japan, and later caught on in other countries around the world.{{cite web |last=Lemmin-Woolfrey |first=Ulrike |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/cat-cafes-world/index.html |title=Cat-ching! Cat cafes take over world |website=CNN.com |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=19 June 2016 |archive-date=30 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330230626/http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/16/travel/cat-cafes-world |url-status=live }}
The former mining town of Houtong is known as a "cat village" which attracts tourists with its large population of roaming cats.{{cite news |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2013/11/09/393242/Taiwans-cat.htm |title=Taiwan's 'cat village' on CNN list of attractions |newspaper=The China Post |date=9 November 2013 |accessdate=27 June 2016 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222095528/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2013/11/09/393242/Taiwans-cat.htm |url-status=live }}