The Fall of a President

Chen Shui-bian is one of the most consequential -- and controversial -- politicians in Taiwan’s modern history.

　　He broke the political grip of the ruling Kuomintang (Nationalist Party), winning the presidency in 2000 and paving the way for the first peaceful transfer of power to the opposition – the Democratic Progressive Party.

　　But he was also convicted in four corruption-related criminal cases, and his actions inflicted great political harm on a young democracy. Ultimately, Chen will be remembered as the first president of Taiwan to be sentenced to jail.

　　Chen’s intriguing story deserves retelling, and veteran journalist Osman Tseng is uniquely suited to the task. Tseng’s journalistic career spanned more than four decades with the Chinese language China Times as well as English media outlets, the China Post, and the China Economic News Service (CENS). This gave him a choice vantage point for observing Chen’s political ascent and the dramatic legal battles of his eventual downfall.