Former Taiwan Legislator Rao Yingqi Dies at 93; Ex-Colleague Recalls Rivalry

Rao Yingqi, former Vice President of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, passed away last night at the age of 93. Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lai Kun-cheng took to Facebook to mourn Rao's passing, reminiscing about their intense political rivalries and interactions in Taitung and the national legislature over three decades ago.

Their political paths first crossed around 1990 during the "Wan Nian National Assembly" period. Lai, then a young assistant for the DPP caucus, recalled Rao, a senior figure in the Kuomintang (KMT), being very friendly towards him, despite the stark opposition between their parties. This camaraderie was rooted in their shared hometown connection in Taitung.

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Although it was a confrontational situation of 'KMT's big party whip versus opposition party's small party worker,' Rao Yingqi, based on our hometown connection in Taitung, was very friendly to the young Lai Kun-cheng.

Lai Kun-cheng was elected as a National Assembly representative in 1991, followed by a full legislative election. In 1993 and 1996, Lai challenged Rao Yingqi, who was seeking re-election in Taitung, a region then dominated by the KMT. Although Lai did not win against Rao, who had extensive party, government, and military resources, the contests were fiercely fought. In 1993, the vote count was 33,000 for Rao against 21,000 for Lai, and in 1996, it was a closer 28,000 to 23,000.

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If not for the former county magistrate Zheng Lie's faction splitting the anti-Rao forces back then, I might have had the chance to rewrite Taitung's political landscape.

Lai humorously suggested that he might have had a chance to alter Taitung's political landscape if a rival faction had not split the anti-Rao vote. He noted Rao's early career as a secretary to Taipei Mayor Gao Yushou before returning to Taitung. Rao Yingqi, a consistent electoral winner, had a long-standing rivalry with former county magistrate Zheng Lie, leading to a division within local politics between the "Rao faction" and the "Zheng Lie faction." The DPP gradually gained ground by exploiting these internal divisions, fostering the development of party politics in Taitung.

Despite their political differences, Lai praised Rao Yingqi for embodying the spirit of a traditional local gentleman. He highlighted Rao's ability to keenly analyze local politics with his extensive experience and network, even when offering criticism.

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Rao Yingqi possessed the demeanor of a traditional local gentleman. With his rich experience and network, he could always analyze local politics clearly when offering criticism.