Chen Shui-bian
Who was Chen Shui-bian?
Chen Shui-bian was Taiwan's first president from the Democratic Progressive Party (2000-2008), ending over 50 years of Kuomintang rule. His presidency was marked by efforts to assert Taiwan's identity, though he was later convicted on corruption charges.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Chen Shui-bian (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Chen Shui-bian was born on October 12, 1950, in Guantian District, Taiwan. He went from Longtian Elementary School to National Tainan First Senior High School and eventually graduated from National Taiwan University. After building a career as a lawyer, Chen got into politics in 1980 during the Kaohsiung Incident as part of the Tangwai movement, which opposed the ruling Kuomintang party's authoritarian rule. He was elected to the Taipei City Council in 1981, starting his political journey.
In 1985, Chen was imprisoned for libel related to his work as editor of the pro-democracy magazine Neo-Formosa, which had published an article critical of philosophy professor Elmer Fung. After his release, Chen helped start the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 1986, as one of its founding members. His political career grew with his election to the Legislative Yuan in 1989 and his win as Mayor of Taipei in 1994, where he became known for his administrative skills.
Chen's biggest political achievement came in the 2000 presidential election when he won with 39% of the vote due to a split in the Kuomintang between the official nominee Lien Chan and independent candidate James Soong. This win made him Taiwan's fifth president and the first from the Democratic Progressive Party, ending 55 years of continuous KMT rule. His presidency focused on strengthening Taiwan's unique identity and reducing reliance on China, though these plans often faced resistance from the KMT-controlled Legislative Yuan.
Chen's second term began with controversy after he won the 2004 election by a small margin following a shooting incident while campaigning. Both Chen and his wife Wu Shu-chen were wounded, and opponents suspected it was staged for political gain, though investigations concluded it was the work of a lone gunman. His administration faced increasing corruption allegations, and after leaving office in 2008, both Chen and his wife were convicted of bribery charges in 2009. Chen received a long prison sentence but has maintained his innocence, claiming political persecution.
Before Fame
Growing up in rural Taiwan during the 1950s and 1960s, Chen witnessed the island's changes under martial law imposed by the Kuomintang government. His strong academic performance helped him move through Taiwan's competitive education system, leading to his graduation from National Taiwan University. His political awakening, which would shape his career, started during the late 1970s when Taiwan's democracy movement was gaining strength against authoritarian rule.
The Kaohsiung Incident of 1979, a pro-democracy protest that resulted in the arrests of opposition leaders, marked Chen's entry into politics. As a young lawyer, he defended political dissidents and became linked with the Tangwai (Outside the Party) movement, which was the main opposition to KMT rule before legal opposition parties were formed.
Key Achievements
- First Democratic Progressive Party member elected President of Taiwan (2000-2008)
- Ended 55 years of continuous Kuomintang rule in Taiwan
- Served as Mayor of Taipei from 1994 to 1998
- Co-founded the Democratic Progressive Party in 1986
- Successfully won re-election as president in 2004 despite assassination attempt
Did You Know?
- 01.He is commonly known by the nickname A-Bian (阿扁), a colloquial diminutive of his given name
- 02.During his imprisonment for libel in 1985, he was held for eight months
- 03.He survived an assassination attempt on March 19, 2004, one day before the presidential election, when he and his wife were shot while campaigning in an open-top jeep
- 04.Chen was the first Taiwanese president to be born after World War II and Japanese colonial rule ended
- 05.He wrote several books during his legal and political career, establishing himself as a writer in addition to his other roles