Weng Hsiao-ling
{{Short description|Taiwanese politician (born 1969)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Weng Hsiao-ling
| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-tw|翁曉玲}}}}
| native_name_lang = zh-tw
| honorific-suffix = MLY
| image = 翁曉玲肖像.jpg
| caption =
| office = Member of the Legislative Yuan
| status =
| term_start = 1 February 2024
| term_end =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| constituency = Party-list
| office1 = National Communications Commissioner
| term_start1 = 1 August 2008
| term_end1 = 31 July 2012
| constituency1 =
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1969|1|18}}
| birth_place = Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Kuomintang
| otherparty =
| spouse =
| education = National Chung Hsing University (LLB)
{{no wrap|University of Munich (LLM, LLD)}}
}}
Weng Hsiao-ling ({{zh|t=翁曉玲}}; born 18 January 1969) is a Taiwanese legal scholar and politician. She served on the National Communications Commission from 2008 to 2012, and was elected to the Legislative Yuan in 2024. She is a member of and an advocate to restore the policy of {{ill|Retaking Mainland China by force|zh|反攻大陸}}.
Background
Weng Hsiao-ling's grandfather, Weng Chung-tzu(翁鐘賜), was born during the Japanese rule of Taiwan into a prominent local family in Tainan. He graduated from Keio University in Japan with a degree in economics. During his studies in Japan, he joined the Tokyo Taiwanese Youth Association and supported the activities of the Taiwanese Cultural Association. Due to the Great Depression, he moved to Indonesia, where he married a local woman and had three sons, including Weng Hsiao-ling’s father. With the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Weng family returned to Taiwan.{{Cite news|author=林欣漢|url=https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/4763856|title=祖父是日本皇民？翁曉玲喊「我就是堂堂正正的中國人」|date=2024-08-09|access-date=2025-01-14|work=自由時報|location=台北市|language=zh-tw}}
After World War II, Taiwan came under the administration of the Republic of China. Weng Hsiao-ling’s father, Weng Chi-hsiung(翁啟雄), becoming an officer in the Republic of China Army. He later served as an instructor at the Military Academy and the Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, and also held the position of president of the National Chin-Yi University of Technology. Weng’s mother was a secondary school teacher retreat from Mainland during Civil War.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nownews.com/news/6465803|title=七七事變87週年府院靜悄悄 翁曉玲開罵了|date=2024-07-07|author=林怡昕|work=NOWnews今日新聞|access-date=2024-11-14|location=台北市|language=zh-tw|archive-date=2024-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240707084825/https://www.nownews.com/news/6465803|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|author=管仁健|url=https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2024-07-08/927089|title=翁曉玲為何只紀念外公卻不提祖父？|date=2024-07-08|access-date=2025-01-14|work=Newtalk新聞|location=台北市|language=zh-tw}}
Education and early academic career
Weng earned a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from National Chung Hsing University (now part of National Taipei University) before pursuing a Master of Laws at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany, where she also received a doctorate of law. Upon her return to Taiwan, Weng taught at National Defense University, her alma mater, NCHU, and National Tsing Hua University.{{cite news |title=翁曉玲合聘副教授 兼 清大通識教育中心主任 |url=https://www.lst.nthu.edu.tw/TsinghuaUniversityLaw/%E7%BF%81%E6%9B%89%E7%8E%B2/ |access-date=24 January 2024 |publisher=National Tsing Hua University}}
Political career
=National Communications Commission=
Weng was one of six newcomers nominated to serve on the National Communications Commission in July 2008,{{cite news |title=Legislative committees to jointly screen NCC nominees |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/07/09/2003416866 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=9 July 2008}} after the term of the previous commission had ended in January of that same year.{{cite news |last1=Shih |first1=Hsiu-chuan |title=Executive Yuan presents list of nominees for NCC |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/07/02/2003416322 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=2 July 2008}} At the time of her nomination to the NCC, Weng was a political independent.{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Flora |last2=Shan |first2=Shelley |title=KMT vows strict review of NCC nominees |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/07/14/2003417445 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=14 July 2008}} All nominees, including Weng, were approved by the Legislative Yuan's joint committee on education, culture, and transportation,{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=Smooth sailing for NCC nominees |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/07/15/2003417540 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=15 July 2008}} and met with journalists for the first time the following month.{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=NCC inaugurates Bonnie Peng as new chairwoman |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/08/02/2003419232 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=2 August 2008}} In February 2009, Weng attended a hearing convened to discuss amendments to the Satellite Radio and Television Act.{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=Pundits lash out at amendment to radio, TV law |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/02/18/2003436417 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=18 February 2009}} The following year, Weng commented on government investment in Taiwanese media,{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=FEATURE: Ownership of media stock still a touchy issue |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/01/15/2003463540 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=15 January 2010}} discussed amendments to the Broadcasting and Television Act,{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=NCC set to amend Broadcasting and Television Act |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/03/27/2003469081 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=27 March 2010}} clarified aspects of NCC decisions,{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=NCC may appeal high court's ruling on CTi TV network |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/07/15/2003477989 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=15 July 2010}} and opposed a proposal allowing the Executive Yuan to select the NCC chair and vice chair.{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=NCC commissioners divided on change |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/09/16/2003482996 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=16 September 2010}}
Weng was not renominated to her NCC post.{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=NCC nominee reviews put off following spat |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/05/18/2003533133 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=18 May 2012}}{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=Legislature to vote on NCC nominees |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/07/25/2003538586 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=25 July 2012}} In 2012, her final year in office, Weng, Chen Jeng-chang, and Chung Chi-hui withdrew from a case involving Want Want and {{ill|China Network Systems|zh|中嘉網路}}.{{cite news |title=INTERVIEW: Three NCC members discuss Want Want merger bid |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/06/04/2003534487 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=4 June 2012}} Three years previously, as Want Want acquired the China Times, China Television, and Chung T'ien Television, images of Weng, Cheng, and Chung had been published on the China Times front page in the manner of wanted posters.{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=NCC demands Want Want explanation |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/02/16/2003525607 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=16 February 2012}} The merger between Want Want and China Network Systems was approved in late July 2008, with days left in Weng's NCC term.{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=Want Want cleared to buy CNS TV arm |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2012/07/26/2003538653 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=26 July 2012}}{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=Bonnie Peng slams CNS ruling |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/07/27/2003538754 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=27 July 2012}} During her final month on the National Communications Commission, television shopping network U-Life filed a lawsuit against Weng, alleging that she had favored the Eastern Home and Leisure Company in an application filed by the Kbro Company.{{cite news |last1=Shan |first1=Shelley |title=U-Life targets NCC member in lawsuit |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/07/07/2003537181 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=7 July 2012}}
=Legislative Yuan=
After her NCC tenure ended, Weng returned to her associate professorship in law at National Tsing Hua University.{{cite news |last1=Shih |first1=Hsiao-kuang |last2=Chung |first2=Jake |title=COVID-19: KMT says pandemic powers baseless |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/08/14/2003762585 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=14 August 2021}} She did not return to politics until the 2024 legislative election, when she was ranked fourth on the Kuomintang party list for proportional representation and elected to the 11th Legislative Yuan.{{cite news |last1=Shih |first1=Hsiao-kuang |last2=Chung |first2=Jake |title=KMT plans bills to increase oversight, change speaker vote |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/01/24/2003812552 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=24 January 2024}}{{cite news |last1=張 |first1=薷 |last2=陳 |first2=慰慈 |last3=黃 |first3=琮淵 |title=翁曉玲、葛如鈞 不分區大亮點 |url=https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20231120000369-260118 |access-date=24 January 2024 |work=China Times |date=20 November 2023 |language=zh}}
Weng proposed amendments to the Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power and the {{ill|lt=Criminal Code|Criminal Code of the Republic of China|zh|中華民國刑法}}, criminalizing the contempt of the legislature.{{cite news |last1=Hsieh |first1=Chun-ling |last2=Chen |first2=Cheng-yu |title=Proposed reforms would be unconstitutional: DPP |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/04/01/2003815775 |access-date=2 April 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=1 April 2024}}
In June 2024, she accused President Lai Ching-te of treason and criticized defense minister Wellington Koo for failing to maintain maps that showed Mongolia as part of the Republic of China.
Weng then presented a 1912 map of the Republic of China, which included Mongolia, Tannu Uriankhai, Vladivostok, Tibet, Nine-dash line and the Kuril Islands, and asked, "Why don't you restore the policy to "retake Mainland China by force" ({{zh|labels=no|t=反攻大陸}})? Or is it that none of us, the citizens of the Republic of China, should take that stance? Is this just your personal opinion? The mainland is part of the territory of the Republic of China." Weng further inquired about President Lai Ching-te's statement that "the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other," questioning if it implied recognition of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Koo responded by affirming that the PRC "is an existing fact, and there is no doubt about it." Weng then retorted, stating, "We don't care how the other countries recognize it by acknowledging the People's Republic of China (PRC). The territorial scope of the PRC includes Taiwan. Being the president of the Republic of China (ROC), such statements of Lai Ching-te diminish Taiwan's status, abandon the ROC's territorial integrity, and provide the PRC a justified reason to 'recover' Taiwan. President Lai is thus seen as a traitor to the Republic of China, hence acknowledging the PRC constitutes a significant harm to the Republic of China."{{Cite web |date=2024-06-18 |title=翁曉玲拿「秋海棠」地圖質詢 歷史老師：不符現況 |url=https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E7%BF%81%E6%9B%89%E7%8E%B2%E6%8B%BF-%E7%A7%8B%E6%B5%B7%E6%A3%A0-%E5%9C%B0%E5%9C%96%E8%B3%AA%E8%A9%A2-%E6%AD%B7%E5%8F%B2%E8%80%81%E5%B8%AB-%E4%B8%8D%E7%AC%A6%E7%8F%BE%E6%B3%81-053012279.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Yahoo News |language=zh-Hant-TW}}{{Cite news|title=奪回海參崴跟外蒙古？ 翁曉玲秀「秋海棠」要顧立雄別忘反攻大陸|url=https://www.ettoday.net/news/20240617/2759916.htm#ixzz8dSrCibFY|author=杜冠霖|date=2024-06-17|access-date=2024-06-17|publisher=ETtoday新聞雲|language=zh-tw|location=臺北|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618221745/https://www.ettoday.net/news/20240617/2759916.htm#ixzz8dSrCibFY|archive-date=2024-06-18|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|title=藍委翁曉玲要國防部認「秋海棠疆域」 林俊憲：同時宣戰十幾國？|url=https://news.tvbs.com.tw/politics/2520544|author=蕭達多|date=2024-06-17|access-date=2024-06-17|work=TVBS|language=zh-tw|location=臺北|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619004525/https://news.tvbs.com.tw/politics/2520544|archive-date=2024-06-19|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|title=想跟十幾國宣戰?翁曉玲拿秋海棠地圖談領土 林俊憲：根本慈禧再世|url=https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2024-06-18/924203|author=張柏源|date=2024-06-17|access-date=2024-06-17|publisher=Newtalk新聞|language=zh-tw|location=臺北|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619010315/https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2024-06-18/924203|archive-date=2024-06-19|url-status=live}}
In July 2024, Weng once again reiterated this viewpoint, stating that the territory of the Republic of China should extend "west to the Pamir Plateau, east to Heilongjiang, north to the Sayan Range, and south to Zengmu Ansha." She further demanded that the Minister of National Defense prepare for a "counteroffensive against the mainland."In response, the Taiwan Statebuilding Party stated, "It seems that Weng has traveled through time from 1949, which clearly shows that the Kuomintang must be eliminated."{{Cite news|title=快新聞／翁曉玲籲反攻大陸、紀念77事變！ 基進黨怒轟：再次證明國民黨必須淘汰|url=https://www.ftvnews.com.tw/news/detail/2024709W0194新聞|language=zh-tw|location=臺北|archive-url=https://www.ftvnews.com.tw/news/detail/2024709W0194|archive-date=2024-07-09|url-status=live}}
After Taiwanese badminton players Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin won the men's doubles gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics against Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China, Weng posted to WeChat, that the Lee–Wang victory was the "pride of Chinese people." When asked about her post, Weng elaborated, "We are Chinese... No matter who wins, Team Taiwan or the team from mainland China, it is still the pride of all Chinese people. I see nothing wrong in my statement."{{cite news |last1=Hsien |first1=Chun-lin |last2=Lin |first2=Hsin-han |title=KMT lawmaker defends 'pride of Chinese' comment |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/08/06/2003821847 |access-date=7 August 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=6 August 2024}}
On August 8, 2024, Weng admitted in an interview with Wang Qianqiu on CNR News that she considers herself Chinese, referring to the Republic of China (Taiwan) as "China" and does not recognize the authority of the mainland government.{{cite news |title=翁曉玲憶亡父哭了！認「我是中國人」沒錯：就是中華民國 |url=https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20240808001885-260407?chdtv |newspaper=China Times |date=2024-08-08 |author1= |accessdate=2024-12-02}}
Personal life
Weng's husband is the judge {{ill|Chen Chun-sheng|zh|陳春生}}.{{cite news |last1=Pan |first1=Jason |title=Two-round presidential vote proposal criticized |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2024/03/07/2003814580 |access-date=7 March 2024 |work=Taipei Times |date=7 March 2024}}
References
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Category:21st-century Taiwanese women politicians
Category:Members of the 11th Legislative Yuan
Category:Kuomintang Members of the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan
Category:Party List Members of the Legislative Yuan
Category:Academic staff of the National Tsing Hua University
Category:Academic staff of the National Chung Hsing University
Category:National Taipei University alumni
Category:National Chung Hsing University alumni
Category:Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni
Category:Taiwanese expatriates in Germany