Annie Lee

Annie Lee, born in Taiwan, is the daughter of former Taiwanese leader Lee Teng-hui. She is an associate researcher at Academia Sinica in Taiwan. Her research fields mainly include women's and gender studies, gender and social policy, poverty research, social statistics and surveys, and gender mainstreaming.

Annie Lee has achieved certain academic results, with a focus on women's rights and gender issues. She has closely monitored the political situation during the intra-party primary contest between Tsai Ing-wen and Su Tseng-chang, paying special attention to gender equality issues. During the political campaigns, she observed the gradual change in Taiwanese society's gender awareness, noting that societal acceptance of women holding leadership positions has increased, but social perceptions and barriers still persist. She had planned to collaborate with women's organizations to hold a symposium titled "Women in Charge: Is Taiwan Ready?" but ultimately withdrew due to concerns that it might be interpreted as taking a political stance.

In her personal life, Annie Lee's father is the former Taiwanese leader Lee Teng-hui. Her husband is Lai Guozhou. In November 2023, Annie Lee issued a statement expressing regret over the Japanese publishing company Shueisha's inclusion of her father in the "Asian Historical Figures" series, categorizing him as a "Chinese historical figure." She emphasized that Lee Teng-hui should be recognized as a "Taiwanese," and criticized the categorization as inappropriate. Her comments sparked controversy within Taiwan—some netizens argued that Lee Teng-hui should be considered Chinese, while others criticized her for not recognizing his Taiwanese identity and insisted he should be seen as Taiwanese.

Throughout her academic and public endeavors, Annie Lee is known for her ongoing focus on social, political, and gender issues. Her comments and actions to some extent reflect the complex perspectives within Taiwanese society regarding identity and national recognition.