Introduction
Frida Tsai (Chinese: 蔡培慧; born 1971) is a Taiwanese activist and politician.
Early life
Tsai was raised in Yuchi, Nantou by her grandparents. As a teen, she moved to Taipei to live with her parents and later earned a Ph.D from National Taiwan University. She then taught at Shih Hsin University.
Activism
Tsai is an active member of the Taiwan Rural Front, serving as the group's spokesperson. In this position, she was critical of the agricultural policies supported by the Ma Ying-jeou administration, describing the Land Expropriation Act in particular as "a tool for land developers and speculators." Tsai has led multiple protests as part of her advocacy for farmers' rights. In 2013, she mobilized a few hundred people to occupy the Executive Yuan, after the Miaoli County Government announced that it would repurpose land belonging to four families in Zhunan Township. After the Sunflower Student Movement of April 2014, Tsai cofounded the Taiwan Citizen Union and Taiwan March with protest organizers.
Political career
In November 2015, the Democratic Progressive Party announced that Tsai had been placed on its party list for the January 2016 legislative elections. She was subsequently elected to the Legislative Yuan via proportional representation. In June, Tsai was invited to participate in a tribunal called to review cases under the purview of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. During her legislative tenure, Tsai proposed amendments to the Animal Protection Act that require permits to be issued before animals can perform in public. She has also cosponsored an amendment to the Housing Act differentiating between property and residency rights. Tsai became founding leader of the Taiwan-Italy Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association within the Legislative Yuan in December 2016.
Political stances
Due to public health concerns, Tsai supports limits on the amount of genetically modified food allowed to enter the Taiwanese market, stating that imported soybeans specifically should be graded and labeled before distribution and use. Tsai also backed an increase in government funding for plant breeding research.