Clara Chou
周玉蔻
Born (1953-09-09) 9 September 1953
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

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

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[lower-alpha 1] Taiwan Solidarity Union 3,372 0.26%
3 Frank Hsieh Democratic Progressive Party 525,869 40.89%
4 James Soong[lower-alpha 2] 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

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

Notes

  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

  1. 1 2 3 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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