Official name

Republic of China

Form of state

Representative democracy

The executive

The president nominates a premier to preside over the Executive Yuan (the cabinet), which has three arms: ministries and commissions, subordinate administrative organs of state, and the Executive Yuan Council (the supreme policymaking body)

Head of state

The president, who is directly elected for a four-year term

National legislature

The Legislative Yuan (parliament) has 113 seats, and each parliament serves a four-year term. Formerly, parliament merely rubber-stamped laws, but in the past decade it has become more powerful and has evolved into a genuine forum for debate and policy development. It has also assumed responsibility for initiating constitutional amendments, following the abolition of the National Assembly in 2005

Local government

A series of local councils operates, but their function is mainly administrative; the provincial government has been downgraded and the provincial assembly abolished

National elections

January 2008 (parliament), March 2008 (president). Next elections: January 2012 (parliament), March 2012 (president)

National government

The Kuomintang (KMT), which governed Taiwan for 55 years until 2000, won a landslide victory in the January 2008 legislative election. Its candidate, Ma Ying-jeou, who won the presidential election in March 2008, was sworn into office in May of that year

Main political organisations

The KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are the main political parties. There are also a number of smaller parties

Main members of Executive Yuan

President: Ma Ying-jeou

Vice-president: Vincent Siew

President, Executive Yuan (premier): Wu Den-yih

Vice-premier: Sean Chen

Presidents of other branches of government

Control Yuan: Wang Chien-shien

Examination Yuan: Kuan Chung

Judicial Yuan: Hsieh Tsay-chuan (acting)

Legislative Yuan: Wang Jin-pyng

Key ministers

Economic affairs: Shih Yen-shiang

Finance: Lee Shush-der

Foreign affairs: Yang Chin-tien

Justice: Tseng Yung-fu

National defence: Kao Hua-chu

Transport & communications: Mao Chi-kuo

Chair of Mainland Affairs Council

Lai Shin-yuan

Central bank governor

Perng Fai-nan