Taiwanese President Chen to assume Chairmanship of CALD

(Taipei, Taiwan/ February 27, 2004)  H.E.Chen Shui-bian, President of Taiwan and Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan, will take his oath as the new Chair of CALD on March 4, during the Liberal International Asian Conference in Koahsiung. He succeeds M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, MP, of the Democrat Party of Thailand. President Chen’s victory four years ago was a historical event, marking the end of political domination by the Nationalist Party (KMT).

The term of DPP as CALD chair party will end on December 31, 2005 and will be succeeded by the Liberal Party of the Philippines. President Chen is also expected to announce his choice for CALD Secretary General.

Profile of Chen Shui-bian (from Taiwan Online)

Chen Shui-bian was born to a tenant farming family in Kuantien Township of Tainan County in the ninth month of the lunar calendar in 1950. Because he was very weak as an infant, the family did not register his birth with the local census bureau until 1951. Thus, his identification certificate shows his date of birth as February 18, 1951.

The poverty of Chen’s family did not diminish his aspirations for a better future. The family borrowed money to put him through school, and he graduated at the top of his class from Lungtien Elementary School, the junior department of Tsengwen High School, and the Tainan First High School.

In 1969, he passed the Joint College and University Entrance Examinations and was admitted to the business administration division of the commerce department of National Taiwan University (NTU), his first choice. However, he soon found that this course of study did not interest him. Coincidentally, the first-ever supplementary and additional by-elections for the Legislative Yuan were held around that time. Huang Hsin-chieh, who later became the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was running in the election, and Mr. Chen was deeply moved by his campaign speech. He decided to study law instead.

The following year, Mr. Chen again participated in the Joint College and University Entrance Examinations. This time, he ranked first among all students admitted into the NTU’s department of law. During his junior year, he took the national bar examination and passed with the highest score, becoming the nation’s youngest lawyer at the time. Before he graduated from the university, Mr. Chen worked at a law office specializing in international cases.

Later, recognizing that the island of Taiwan has always maintained maritime contact with the outside world and relied on shipping to develop international trade, Mr. Chen decided to become a specialist in maritime law. In 1975, he married Ms. Wu Shu-jen, and he became a full-time lawyer. They have a daughter and a son.

In 1979, a human rights rally turned violent as government troops clashed with the demonstrators. The episode, which was known as the “Kaohsiung Incident,” resulted in the arrest of many democratic activists. The defendants were sent for trial under martial law, drawing world attention on the political situation in Taiwan. The incident also inspired his sense of righteousness, and with the support of his wife, Mr. Chen became a member of the defense team, acting as the lawyer for Huang Hsin-chieh. This was the beginning of Mr. Chen’s dedication to politics and democratization.

Along with other leaders of the opposition, Mr. Chen carried on the work of the older generation in seeking freedom, human rights, and democracy for the people of Taiwan, by acting as a vigorous defense attorney in the “court of the Taiwan people’s conscience.”

In 1981, Mr. Chen took his first run for public office and made “democracy, balance of power, and progress” his campaign theme. He was elected as a member of the Taipei City Council with the highest number of votes. Adhering to his conscience and sense of righteousness, Mr. Chen became well known for exposing injustice and fearlessly criticizing the authoritarian government.

In 1984, as publisher of a magazine critical of the government, Mr. Chen was accused of libel. In 1985, following the first trial for the case, he resigned from his post in the Taipei City Council and returned to his hometown in Tainan County to run for county magistrate. The Kuomintang (KMT) went all out to suppress him, defeating him by a narrow margin.

On November 18, 1985, while Mr. Chen was thanking voters for their support, his wife was hit by a tractor-truck speeding out of a small lane. Although Mrs. Chen’s life was saved, the lower half of her body became paralyzed even after several operations. The pain of the accident has since all the more strengthened Mr. Chen’s determination to support and assist the weak, challenge unfairness, and ensure social justice.

In 1986, Mr. Chen was sentenced to eight months in prison for libel for criticizing the government. On June 10, he began serving his sentence in the Tucheng Penitentiary along with Huang Tien-fu and Lee Yi-yang, two other defendants in the same case. This was the most difficult time for the Chen family. Fortunately, the strong affection, support, and encouragement shared between Mr. and Mrs. Chen helped them through this period of hardship.

At the end of 1986, campaigning in her wheelchair, Mrs. Chen was elected to the Legislative Yuan. After Mr. Chen was released from prison in 1987, he joined the DPP and served as legislative assistant to Mrs. Chen, while continuing to practice law.

In December 1989, under the call for justice, progress, and security, Mr. Chen was elected to the Legislative Yuan and took the post as the first executive director of the DPP caucus. In December 1992, he was re-elected. During his terms as a legislator, Mr. Chen made an appeal to replace political struggle with policy debate, transforming the way in which ruling and opposition parties interacted with one another and opening additional opportunities for political participation.

Mr. Chen was the first to set up a professional legislative staff team. He was also the first legislator from an opposition party to become the Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan. As chairman of the committee, he promoted the nationalization of the military and the institutionalization of the intelligence network. Furthermore, he called for the integration of military command and administration, and demanded more transparency in military procurement. Mr. Chen also dedicated his efforts to protecting the rights of servicemen and consequently received praise as the best legislator by professional groups and journalists reporting on legislative affairs.

In the party, Mr. Chen was instrumental in moderating a number of official statements. In 1988, the DPP released its policy positions on Taiwan independence and self-determination. Coordinating with party factions, Mr. Chen laid out “four if’s” as the preconditions for the DPP’s advocacy of Taiwan independence. Such a re-phrasing allowed greater flexibility and room for public discussion.

The “four if’s” were: If the KMT unilaterally holds talks with the Chinese communists; if the KMT sells out the interests of the Taiwanese people; if the Chinese communists annex Taiwan; and if the KMT does not implement true constitutional democracy.

In 1991, there was a move in the DPP to make the establishment of a Taiwan nation as a policy goal of the party. Mr. Chen suggested adding in the procedures the premise: “Based on the principle that sovereignty On March 18, 2000, with much international attention, Mr. Chen Shui-bian and Ms. Lu Hsiu-lien were elected as the tenth-term president and vice president of the Republic of China. With their inauguration on May 20, 2000, the first peaceful transfer of power to another political party in the history of ethnic Chinese communities is a constant reminder that the democratic process is rapidly maturing in Taiwan and is an outstanding example for developing democracies around the world, including the Chinese mainland.

Shortly after he was elected, Mr. Chen invited the Minister of National Defense Mr. Tang Fei, a member of the KMT, to form a “Government of all People.” He wanted to establish an administration based on honesty, clean politics, and professionalism, with an emphasis on non-partisanship and a balanced gender representation among the cabinet members. Initial intentions were to create a new era of economic development, politics, and cross-strait relations. Goals were set to develop Taiwan into an environmentally friendly yet high-tech “Green Silicon Island,” while building internal consensus on peace in the Taiwan Strait and an active role in the international community.

Since his inauguration on May 20, 2000, President Chen has assumed the heavy burdens and responsibilities of government. Maintaining stability, peace, and national security have been the most important objectives of President Chen’s administration. In order to carry out his pledge that “Taiwan must not only stand up, but also reach out,” he made two trips abroad to eleven diplomatic partners. These trips were labeled “Democracy, Diplomacy, and Friendship” and “Friendship and Cooperation for Mutual Prosperity, ” and they successfully consolidated diplomatic relations and promoted Taiwan’s presence in the world.

With new thinking on “diversified diplomacy,” President Chen has instructed ROC representatives overseas to promote Taiwan’s participation in non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). He has also directed relevant authorities to aggressively campaign for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Trade Organization (WTO). In December of 2001, Taiwan’s accession to the WTO was formally approved by the WTO, paving the way for Taiwan’s formal participation in this internationally significant trade regime in January 2002.

As the first national leader coming from an opposition party, President Chen emphasizes and cherishes the universal values of democracy, freedom, and human rights. He firmly believes that the heart and foundation of a constitutional society must be established on human rights and that the government must promote and protect the rights, benefits, and welfare of its people. Therefore, he has promoted the goal of making Taiwan a “nation of human rights.”

Inviting participation from various sectors of society, President Chen established the Human Rights Consultation Task Force in the Presidential Office in October 2000. This task force is responsible for planning related human rights matters and policies, including integrating the International Bill of Rights into domestic law. The task force is also preparing for the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, fulfilling a campaign promise. In December 2000, the President took a concrete step by signing an amnesty decree for prisoners of conscience.

Recognizing the vital significance of economic development for the nation’s survival, President Chen convened the Economic Development Advisory Conference (EDAC) in August 2001, the first nationwide multi- partisan economic meeting since he took office. Representatives from all parties and various sectors of society participated in discussions of such issues as the revival of the domestic economy, directions for Taiwan’s development, international competition and cooperation, cross-strait relations, and Taiwan’s preparations for WTO accession.

A total of 322 points of consensus were achieved, setting “cultivating Taiwan with a global perspective” as the national economic vision for the new century. “Taiwan first, global perspectives, mutual benefits, and risk management” were laid out as the four guidelines for economic policies. Furthermore, the conference agreed to replace the former cross-strait trade policy of “patience over haste” with “active opening, effective management.”

This conference brought together the wisdom and determination of the whole country. Constructive consensus on national development was reached through democratic discussions and reconciliation between political parties, fully demonstrating the maturity and depth of Taiwan’s democracy consistent with the “New Middle Way” approach that President Chen had advocated.

President Chen has long insisted on building a highly efficient government that is “small but beautiful” and “small but capable,” so that the ideal of a “young Taiwan and energetic government” can be realized. With this goal in mind and to implement the EDAC’s consensus point on “accelerating government reengineering,” President Chen formed a “government reengineering committee” in October 2001. The committee will work on the restructuring of government organizations to increase national competitiveness and prepare Taiwan for political and economic challenges in the new century.

President Chen is the author of The Son of Taiwan, The First Voyage of the Century: Reflections onTaiwan’s First Alternation of Political Power, and other books. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws and an Honorary Doctorate in Political Science by Kyungnam University and Yong-In University in Korea, respectively, an Honorary Doctorate in Economics by Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics, an Honorary Doctorate from National Asuncion University in Paraguay, and an Honorary Doctorate from the National Autonomous University of Honduras.