People First Party (Republic of China)

The Qinmindang (Chinese亲民 党/亲民 党, Pinyin Qinmin Dǎng, English People First Party (PFP ) ) is one of the four major political parties of the Republic of China on Taiwan. It was created in 2000 as a spin-off from the Kuomintang (KMT ). Politically it belongs to the conservative spectrum.

History and political positions

In the 2000 presidential election in the Republic of China, the Taiwan Governor James Soong of the province occurred notwithstanding the KMT party line as an independent candidate. He was subsequently excluded along with several supporters declared from the KMT. After the election was lost, both for him and for the KMT, Soong founded his own party, the Qinmindang ( in non-Chinese countries usually abbreviated as PFP = People First Party ), whose leader he became. The party name Qinmin, usually translated as "renewal of the people" was borrowed from the Confucian Great Learning. The policy objectives of the PFP are very similar to those of the KMT. The Qinmindang has long been part of the Pan - Blue Coalition. It advocates for a national Chinese culture and the economic and cultural exchanges with mainland China. The full independence of Taiwan is rejected. Since its beginnings, the Qinmindang is strongly influenced by its founder and chairman James Soong. In the 2004 presidential election Soong was defeated only very slightly as vice- presidential candidate of the Pan - Blue Coalition. After he was defeated even in the mayoral election in Taipei in 2006 announced Soong to his retirement from politics and the party he founded, seemed to go to meet an uncertain future. This retreat but did not take place, however, and also negotiations on an association of KMT and Qinmindang were dashed. 2011 Soong announced to want to run again in the presidential election of 2012. In this election, he achieved nationwide 2.8 % of the vote, his party won three seats in the 113 deputies counted Parliament in the same day held elections to the Legislative Yuan.