Biographies
Chen Shui-bian
President
Chen Shui-bian was born in Guantian Township, Tainan County, on February 18, 1951. The son of a poor tenant farmer, he recognized early on that education was the passport to a better life. His pursuit of academic excellence led him to graduate from the Law Department of National Taiwan University in 1974, from which he received an LL.B. with honors. He became the nation's youngest lawyer, passing the national bar examination while still a junior in college.
From 1976 to 1989, Chen was a successful attorney and senior partner at the Formosan International Marine and Commercial Law Office. His first political case—defending democracy activists against charges of sedition and riot following the 1979 Kaohsiung Incident—marked the beginning of a lifetime of political activity.
Chen first ran for public office in 1981, when he was elected to the Taipei City Council with the highest number of votes out of all candidates. In 1987, he joined the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the first opposition party to be legalized in the country after the lifting of martial law. In 1989, he was elected to the Legislative Yuan, where he served as the first executive director of the DPP caucus.
In 1994, Chen was selected as one of the world's top 100 leaders of the coming century by Time magazine. He also won the Taipei mayoral election in the same year. During his term as mayor, Taipei's traffic conditions improved and the city's crime rate fell. Taipei was selected as one of the top five Asian cities by Asiaweek in 1998.
On March 18, 2000, Chen was elected tenth-term president of the nation. His administrative agenda focused on reforming the government, galvanizing the economy, pursuing new diplomatic strategies, and promoting peace between Taiwan and China.
President Chen was awarded the 2001 Prize for Freedom by Liberal International in recognition of his unwavering commitment to freedom and human rights. Under his administration, the government has paid special attention to the needs of farmers, fishermen, laborers, women, the elderly, and the disadvantaged, and has promoted the cultures of Taiwan's ethnic minorities. The President has also made significant efforts to foster a "Taiwan-centric consciousness."
To further democratize Taiwan, President Chen resolutely pushed for a law to institute the use of national referenda. As a result, Taiwan's first national referendum was held on March 20, 2004, and on the same day President Chen was re-elected for a second term. He has since emphasized the need for a thorough reengineering of the Constitution in order to enhance good governance, create a solid foundation for the rule of law, and ensure Taiwan's long-term stability and prosperity.
Fully aware of Taiwan's key role in maintaining lasting peace in East Asia and the world at large, President Chen has always placed the utmost importance on improving relations between Taiwan and China. He has made numerous goodwill gestures toward China in the hope of building a framework of peace and stability for interactions between the two sides. For his crucial role in this regard, he was listed among the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2005.
To strengthen Taiwan's standing in the world, the President has so far visited over 20 diplomatic allies to promote democracy, prosperity, cooperation, and friendship during his presidency. Under his leadership, Taiwan overcame 12 years of diplomatic obstacles to be admitted to the World Trade Organization in 2002.
In his 2006 New Year's Day address, President Chen indicated that, in order to ensure Taiwan's sustainable development, "proactive management, effective liberalization" would form the new basis for the nation's China-related economic and trade policy. In 2007, he pushed for Taiwan's application for UN and WHO membership under the name "Taiwan."
As ever, President Chen remains committed to pursuing a better future for Taiwan and its 23 million people by continuing to strive for political reform, consolidate democracy, promote human rights, and strengthen environmental protection.