# Black gold (politics)

Black gold (Chinese: 黑金; pinyin: hēi jīn) is a term used in Taiwan to refer to political corruption, underworld politics and political violence. The term refers to the obtaining of money (the "gold") through a dark, secretive, and corrupt method ("black", an adjective in Chinese that also means illegal or illicit).
The Kuomintang (KMT; Chinese Nationalist Party) has frequently been criticized in Taiwan for its connections to gangsters and black gold. The party has had a long association with underground societies, and its founder Sun Yat-sen had joined the Triads to gain support for the Republican Revolution. In its early years, the KMT relied on support from organized crime, gangs, and unions and clan organizations with criminal ties in its efforts to consolidate power in war-torn post-imperial China. As a result, the party made concessions to local "crime bosses", such as the notorious Du Yuesheng in Shanghai, who were well-connected with its longtime leader, Chiang Kai-shek. During the Shanghai massacre of 1927, the KMT employed the Green Gang to exterminate suspected communists; the Green Gang also happened to be a major financial supporter of Chiang Kai-shek. The KMT's relationships with such organizations are believed to persist. KMT fled to Taiwan following the Chinese Civil War. As Minister of Justice from 1993 to 1996, former Taipei mayor and KMT Party Chairman Ma Ying-jeou is credited with attempts to fight black gold corruption and bring KMT out of corruption, and his removal from office by the KMT was widely attributed to him being ' 'too effective at fighting black gold.
After Lee Teng-hui succeeded as President of the Republic of China and Chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), he encouraged individuals with connections to organized crime to run for various local government positions and legislative offices. This led to the rapid development of "black gold politics" and "local factions" in Taiwan’s political arena at the time. Many individuals with criminal backgrounds "bleached" their pasts in order to seek "protection" (the privilege for legislators to avoid arrest during legislative sessions without a resolution), using their strong financial power in local areas to win elections. During their terms, they used their positions to shield themselves, causing political chaos in Taiwan. Notable examples include independent legislator Luo Fuzhu, who was involved in multiple cases of legislative violence and related incidents outside the legislature, as well as KMT-affiliated figures such as Pingtung County legislator Kuo Ting-tsai, Taichung City legislator Yen Qing-biao, Pingtung County speaker Cheng Tai-chi, Pingtung County magistrate Wu Ze-yuan, Chiayi County speaker Hsiao Teng-biao, Changhua County speaker Bai Hong-sen, and deputy speaker Zhan Zhong-ren. As a result, the public lost confidence in the ruling Kuomintang, which led to the party losing power in the 2000 Republic of China presidential election, marking the end of its 55-year rule. Some believe that Lee Teng-hui and those he relied on, such as James Soong, Lien Chan, Liu Tai-ying, and Su Zhi-cheng, bear undeniable responsibility for the inappropriate political-business networks. As a result, Lee Teng-hui has been widely referred to as the "Godfather of Black Gold Politics."
Some believe that Lee Teng-hui and those he relied on, such as James Soong, Lien Chan, Liu Tai-ying, Su Zhi-cheng, and others, bear undeniable responsibility for the inappropriate political-business networks. As a result, Lee Teng-hui is known as the "Godfather of Black Gold Politics."
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gained considerable support in the 1990s through its reform agenda, even from those opposed to the DPP position on Taiwanese independence. President Chen Shui-bian, former Taipei mayor, was noted for his attempts to clamp down on black gold throughout his career. However, Chen's presidential administration has been criticized, including by former colleagues and supporters, for exploiting their control of government for personal wealth in, a typical black-gold manner. Former DPP party leader Hsu Hsin-liang has criticized Chen in a public speech for betraying the ideals of the DPP after coming to power. After a series of high-profile corruption scandals, public support for DPP diminished in 2005 Taiwanese local elections. Campaigning on a "save Taiwan from corruption" platform, the KMT-led pan-blue coalition won 16 of 23 county and town offices and became the majority party at the local level. Chen was charged with corruption after stepping down as president in 2008.