Event Details

Lancaster University China Centre hosts Dr. Tao Wang (Manchester University) for a talk on the role of guanxi in Taiwanese politics. Lunch will be provided for all attendees.

** LUNCH PROVIDED - PLEASE RSVP: china.centre@lancaster.ac.uk

“The funeral home was like his second office,” a journalist said of former Kuomintang legislator Lin Junq-jzer. Lin attended funeral ceremonies almost every morning before commuting to the capital, 60 miles from his district. When there were too many funerals, he either appeared the night before or sent two backup staffers to be present on his behalf. Why is an MP like Lin invited to private funerals? Drawing on evidence from in-depth interviews and observation, this study focuses on the role of guanxi, the Chinese term for particularistic ties. It finds that voters in a guanxi society are inclined to show off their ties with VIPs. The demand thus keeps legislators exceptionally busy attending weddings, funerals, and banquets, often at the expense of attentiveness to national policy. The study concludes that guanxi norms bring constituency-focused activities to the fore of Taiwan’s political representation.