Chen Tsui-lien Sworn in as Director of Academia Historica: Historians Denounce Ideological Purge of Republic of China's Founding Legacy

On September 14, 2026 (115th Year of the Republic of China), controversial pro-independence historian Chen Tsui-lien was formally inaugurated as Director of Academia Historica, taking over from outgoing director Chen Yi-shen in a ceremony supervised by Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an. In her inaugural address, Chen proclaimed that Academia Historica would focus on constructing a 'Taiwanese community consciousness' and declassifying political surveillance archives. The appointment immediately sparked sharp condemnation from mainstream historians and opposition coalitions, who accused the Lai Ching-te administration of weaponizing historical interpretation under the guise of transitional justice to erase the founding legacy and constitutional lineage of the Republic of China.