Hsu Tain-tsair

Hsu Tain-tsair (born 23 January 1953) is a Taiwanese politician who served as the mayor of Tainan City from 2001 to 2010.

Born in Tainan County (now part of Tainan City), Hsu got his PhD candidacy in economics in the United States, where he started participating in the independence movement of Taiwan.

In 1976, Hsu got his Master of Economics degree from the Chinese Culture University and started teaching banking the next year at the same school.

In 1982, Hsu went to the United States as a Columbia University exchange scholar.

In the same year, he joined the World United Formosans for Independence, and he also served as the literary editor for the Taiwan Tribune.

As a result, he was placed on the Kuomintang's blacklist and was unable to return to Taiwan.

He then earned his PhD candidacy from New School for Social Research.

He was placed on the blacklist of Kuomintang and was not allowed to return to Taiwan until 1990.

When Hsu returned to Taiwan, he joined the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Having been elected legislator three times, Hsu is considered a privy councilor to the DPP in the field of economics.

In 1990, Hsu was invited to a meeting by President Lee Teng-hui and returned to Taiwan as a Taiwanese-American professor.

With the influence of then-legislators Chen Shui-bian, Peng Pai-hsien, Hung Chi-chang, and Lu Hsiu-yi, the government relented and removed the restriction for Hsu to exit and enter the country, finally issuing him a new passport.

Hsu started helping members of the World United Formosans for Independence return to Taiwan in 1991.

In 1992, after being nominated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Hsu was elected to become a member of the Legislative Yuan.

In 1995, he was not nominated by the DPP, but was still elected as an independent candidate.

He lost the election for the office of mayor of Tainan in 1997 and instead became the secretary-general of the New National Coalition (新國家連線) shortly after the establishment of the organization.

He was re-elected legislator in the 1998 legislative election.

Hsu stepped out of the New National Coalition and rejoined the DPP shortly after his re-election to the Legislative Yuan.

He was nominated by the DPP Central Executive Committee as the party's candidate for the Tainan mayoral race.

He was nominated to run for the mayor of Tainan and was elected in 2001.

During his terms as mayor, Hsu worked on public projects and encouraged tourism.

Hsu was elected mayor of Tainan in 2001 and was re-elected to that post in 2004.

In his terms as mayor, he focused on projects to beautify the city, to set up cultural parks, and to strive for major constructions.

He worked to help the city profit from historical assets and restore Tainan's former splendor.

His major mayoral achievements were the renovation of the city transportation system and overseeing the city's successful bids for the 2005 and 2006 Taiwan Lantern Festivals, the 2007 International Chihsi Arts Festival, and the 2007 National Games of Taiwan (全國運動會).

One of his major goals, the renovation of the Tainan Railway Station and National Cheng Kung University, was scheduled to be completed during his term in office and has earned him high compliments.

Hsu supported a merger between Tainan City and Tainan County to form a special municipality.

For example, a police unit was established to facilitate tourists in 2007, and he also improved the environment of the city.

He made 2007 Tainan's "year of culture and tourism" to promote Tainan's tourism attractions.

In 2009, Hsu worked with the Tainan County government to push for a merger that would form a special municipality.

The merger was set to take effect in December 2010, giving Hsu one additional year in his mayoral term.

During the DPP primary election for the nomination of a new Tainan mayor in May, he lost to William Lai by 12% of the votes.

After Lai elected mayor, Hsu later ran for Lai's seat as a member of Legislative Yuan and was finally elected.

After graduating from Duba Elementary School in Tainan County, Hsu attended Tsengwen Junior High School (曾文中學; now the Madou Junior High School), where he was a classmate of former President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Chen Shui-bian for four years.

He then attended the Cheng Kung Senior High School.

The Executive Yuan passed a resolution to upgrade the city, and the official merger will occur in December 2010.

In January 2010, Hsu declared his candidacy in the 2010 municipal election.

During the DPP primary election in May, he lost to fellow Tainan politician William Lai by 12% of the votes, ending his candidacy.

During the DPP primary election for the presidential candidate's nomination, Hsu expressed that he "will not support the candidate that opposes the construction of an underground railway system in Tainan."

Then-Premier Su Tseng-chang promised that the construction would be financially supported by the central government if he were elected.