Clara Chou

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Clara Chou
周玉蔻
Born (1953-09-09) 9 September 1953 (age 70)
Keelung, Taiwan
Alma materNational Chengchi University
Harvard University (MPA)
Peking University (EMBA)
Occupations
  • Journalist
  • television personality
  • radio personality
Political partyKuomintang
(before 2000; 2008–2014)
Taiwan Solidarity Union
(2006)
Spouse
Lee Hyun-Reng
​
​
(m. 2001; div. 2017)​

Clara Chou or Chou Yuh-kow (Chinese: 周玉蔻; pinyin: Zhōu Yùkòu; Wade–Giles: Chou Yu-kou; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiu Gio̍k-khò͘; born 9 September 1953) is a Taiwanese journalist, television and radio personality.

Life and career[edit]

Chou was born in Keelung. After graduating from Keelung Girl's Senior High School, she attended the National Chengchi University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism. She then entered Harvard University, where she graduated with a degree in Master of Public Administration, followed by a degree in Executive Master of Science in Business Administration at the Peking University's Guanghua School of Management.[1]

From 2012 until 2021, she anchored Chou Chou Breakfast (蔻蔻早餐) from 7:00 to 9:00 every weekday on Hit FM.

In 2014, Chou accused President Ma Ying-jeou of accepting donations from the Ting Hsin International Group.[2] At the time, the company was investigated as part of the 2014 Taiwan food scandal. Chou believed Ma had a hand in covering up Ting Hsin's role in the incident.[3] In December, Ma filed two lawsuits against Chou for the comments she made.[4] She countered with a lawsuit against the Kuomintang, targeting acting party chairperson Wu Den-yih.[5] Chou was stripped of her KMT membership later that month,[6][7] days after she had presented evidence of the party's alleged misdeeds.[8] In December 2015, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chou on charges of defamation in connection to her comments about Ting Hsin.[9] The first ruling in Ma's court case against Chou was handed down later that month. The Taipei District Court found her not guilty of defamation.[10][11] Ma appealed the verdict to the Taiwan High Court.[12]

Chou made further accusations of the KMT in June 2015, this time against then-unconfirmed presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu, claiming that Hung's master's degree from Northeast Missouri State University was falsified.[13][14] Hung sued Chou and the Next Magazine employees who first published the accusations.[15] Chou further stated in August that Hung was thinking of ending her presidential run early in return for a legislative position or money. In response, Hung charged Chou with defamation again.[16] That same month, Terry Gou was awarded NT$2 million in his defamation suit against Chou, who had accused Gou of violating the Political Donations Act in January.[17][18]

Political career[edit]

Chou supported the Kuomintang, before the party lost power in the 2000 election. After the loss, she publicly supported the Democratic Progressive Party's policies, and ran as a candidate for the Pan-Green Taiwan Solidarity Union in the 2006 Taipei City municipal election.[1] She was expelled from the TSU during her mayoral campaign for suggesting that President Chen Shui-bian resign in the wake of First Lady Wu Shu-chen's indictment for graft,[19][20] though her name still appeared on the ballot as the TSU candidate.[21] The expulsion was later reduced to a suspension.[22] By 2008, Chou had rejoined the KMT.[1] After Ma Ying-jeou resigned as KMT chair in December 2014, Chou tried to run for the position, but was rejected.[23]

2006 Taipei City Mayoral Election Result
No Candidate Party Votes %
1 Li Ao Independent 7,795 0.61%
2 Clara Chou[a] Taiwan Solidarity Union 3,372 0.26%
3 Frank Hsieh Democratic Progressive Party 525,869 40.89%
4 James Soong[b] Independent 53,281 4.14%
5 Hau Lung-pin Kuomintang 692,085 53.81%
6 Ke Tsi-hai (柯賜海) Independent 3,687 0.29%

Personal life[edit]

In 1998, Chou claimed that she and Daniel Huang had an affair.[26] She married Lee Hyun-Reng in 2001.[27]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Despite Chou's expulsion from the Taiwan Solidarity Union on 9 November 2006, the party could not withdraw their recommendation for Chou under Republic of China's Public Officials Election and Recall Law. She would still contest the elections as a TSU candidate.[24]
  2. ^ James Soong was Chairman of the People's First Party at the time of the elections, but entered the elections as an independent.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Lim, Ruey Yan (9 November 2015). "Clara Chou: The woman who stole the limelight at press conferences of historic Xi-Ma meeting". Straits Times. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  2. ^ Chien, Li-chung; Chung, Jake (26 December 2014). "President files suit against Clara Chou". Taipei Times. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  3. ^ Chang, Hsiao-ti (24 December 2014). "Ma knew about donation: Clara Chou". Taipei Times. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  4. ^ Huang, Kelven; Chang, Maubo (25 December 2014). "President has no choice but to sue Chou: spokeswoman". Central News Agency. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  5. ^ Shih, Hsiu-Chuan (24 December 2014). "Clara Chou, KMT exchange lawsuits". Taipei Times. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  6. ^ Chyan, Amy (31 December 2014). "KMT discipline committee aims to 'expel membership' of Clara Chou". China Post. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  7. ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan (1 January 2015). "Clara Chou denied chance to appeal at KMT meeting". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  8. ^ Pan, Jason (27 December 2014). "Clara Chou delivers case against Ma to prosecutors". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  9. ^ Pan, Jason (19 December 2015). "Taipei prosecutors charge Clara Chou with defamation". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  10. ^ Pan, Jason (1 January 2015). "Clara Chou not guilty of defamation". Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  11. ^ Tsai, Pei-chi; Hsieh, Chia-chen; Chang, S.C. (31 December 2015). "TV pundit found not guilty of libel against President Ma". Central News Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  12. ^ Hsiang, Cheng-chen; Chung, Jake (31 August 2016). "Ma accuses Clara Chou of 'groundless slander'". Taipei Times. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  13. ^ Chiao, Yuan-Ming (24 June 2015). "Hung threatens lawsuit over pundit accusations". The China Post. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  14. ^ Hsiao, Alison (25 June 2015). "Hung's nomination can not be withheld: KMT". Taipei Times. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  15. ^ Liu, L.J.; Lin, Lillian (24 June 2015). "KMT presidential hopeful to sue TV pundits for slander". Central News Agency. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  16. ^ Hsiao, Alison; Loa, Iok-sin (16 August 2015). "Hung's office takes legal action against Chou". Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  17. ^ Chiao, Yuan-Ming (22 August 2015). "Court rules in favor of Gou in defamation suit". China Post. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  18. ^ "Clara Chou ordered to compensate Gou over donation claim". Taipei Times. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  19. ^ "TSU may reconsider stance on recall". Taipei Times. 13 November 2006. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  20. ^ Wang, Flora (7 November 2006). "TSU reverses stand on new recall vote". Taipei Times. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  21. ^ Mo, Yan-chih (10 November 2006). "TSU revokes Chou's membership". Taipei Times. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  22. ^ "TSU panel overturns decision to expel Chou". China Post. 2 December 2006. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  23. ^ Chung, Lawrence (12 December 2014). "New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu to run for Kuomintang chairman". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  24. ^ "TSU expels Taipei mayoral candidate". China Post. 10 November 2006. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  25. ^ Shih, Hsiu-chuan (10 December 2006). "Elections 2006: People First Party chairman announces an end to his career". Taipei Times. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  26. ^ Huang, Sandy (24 February 2003). "Allegations of adultery dog Hwang". Taipei Times. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  27. ^ "周玉蔻老公被控欠債". Apple Daily (in Chinese). 27 May 2003. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
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