Word: taiwan
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian made history on Tuesday as the first former president to get taken to jail. Chen, who left office in May amid scandal, held his handcuffs high and shouted, "Political persecution!" and "Cheers for Taiwan!" as he was led to the Taipei District Court, arrested on corruption charges that include money laundering, embezzlement, bribery and forgery. In August, Chen admitted that his wife had wired $20 million in leftover campaign funds overseas earlier in the year, but he denied engaging in money laundering. After an overnight session with prosecutors, judges decided on Wednesday morning...
...Chen's arrest comes at a sensitive political moment in Taiwan. A top Chinese envoy came to Taiwan last week to sign landmark trade pacts, a historic visit that was marred by violent protests from opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters who are wary of any moves to draw closer to China. Over a hundred people were injured in five days of chaos...
...president, Chen has become a symbol of the Taiwanese independence movement. During his eight years in office, he heightened Taiwanese pride on the island that had been ruled by non-indigenous regimes for centuries. Chen, in turn, was seen as a troublemaker by China because of his advocacy for Taiwan independence. China claims Taiwan, an island off mainland China, as its own, though Taiwan has ruled itself for 60 years...
...sympathy from supporters as he faces charges that could lead to at least five years in jail. After his arrest, Chen politicized his case by saying that the current President Ma Ying-jeou had him arrested "to appease China." Some Chen supporters are fiercely loyal to the "Son of Taiwan," Chen's nickname, and have strong suspicions of Ma's ruling Kuomintang party, which was an authoritarian regime for nearly 50 years. Analysts, however, don't think Chen's sensational detention will affect the government, in part because Ma has been careful to distance himself from the case. "There...
...diplomacy will be put to the test soon enough, as Taiwan continues to push for participation in international organizations, such as at the next World Health Organization meeting next May. Taiwan has sought participation in WHO and the United Nations in the past, but has routinely been blocked by Beijing. If China wants this chumminess to go its way, it would be wise, says Lin, to reconsider that stance, too. With a growing opposition movement in Taiwan, he says, "If Beijing does not make any flexible adjustment, it's bad news for Ma, and for cross-strait relations...