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.

About the Author
Foreword
Preface

1  Fall from Grace
2  An Examination of Chen Shui-bian’s Multiple Graft Cases
3  How the Chen Family Laundered Money across the Globe
4  Turning Divisive Issues into Political Assets
5  Elected to a Second Term
6  Tensions with Beijing Near Boiling Point
7  Endorsing a ‘Second Republic’ Constitution
8  Applying to Join the WHO as ‘Taiwan’
9  A Bid to Join the United Nations
10  Pushing for a Referendum on Joining the U.N.
11  Chen Shui-bian’s Legacy as President

Epilogue

 

作者簡介



Osman C. H. Tseng (曾慶祥)

　　Osman C. H. Tseng (曾慶祥) is the author of the book The Fall of a President. During his journalistic career of more than four decades, he wrote numerous news analyses, editorials, and commentaries about Taiwan's political development and democratic reform. His writings covered the crucial reform period of Lee Teng-hui's presidency (1989 - 2000), which saw the amending of the ROC constitution, a parliamentary overhaul, a change in the presidential system allowing a direct, popular vote for Taiwan's highest office, as well as the constitutionalizing of civil exchanges with mainland China.

　　In The Fall of a President, Osman Tseng recounts how former President Chen Shui-bian, once considered an icon of Taiwan's democracy, became better known as a symbol of official corruption and disgrace. Tseng gives a comprehensive account of the various corruption cases that ultimately led to Chen's conviction and sentencing to jail. Tseng also details how Chen Shui-bian during his two terms as president, repeatedly provoked Beijing and Washington with his pro-independence words and deeds.

　　Osman Tseng is also the author of A Self-Made Man -- a work that narrates his own life story. In that account, Tseng tells his readers how someone with little formal education and after 18 years in the military could ultimately become a professional journalist and a widely read English writer.