Ker Chien-ming

Template:Family name hatnote Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Ker Chien-ming (Template:Zh; born 8 September 1951) is a Taiwanese politician and former dentist who serves as minority leader in the Legislative Yuan. From 2016 to February 2024, he was the majority leader, after the Democratic Progressive Party won a majority of seats in the Legislative Yuan for the first time.

Early life and education

Ker was born in Hsinchu. His father, Ke Ziyu (1917–2010), was a scholar of Chinese poetry in the city.

After graduating from National Hsinchu Senior High School, Ker studied dentistry at Chung Shan Medical University and graduated with his bachelor's degree in dental science. He later earned a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from National Chiao Tung University.

Political career

Ker is a founding member of the Democratic Progressive Party and was first elected to the Legislative Yuan in 1992. He represented Hsinchu district from 1993 to 2008, and again starting in 2016. From 2008 to 2016 and again from 2020, Ker was elected via proportional representation.

On 17 August 2022, in the aftermath of then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on 2–3 August, China blacklisted seven Taiwanese officials including Ker due to their alleged support for Taiwanese independence. The blacklist bans them from entering mainland China and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, and restricts them from working with Chinese officials. Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times labelled Ker and the six officials as "diehard secessionists".