View source for Chen Shui-bian

{{Short description|Taiwanese former politician}}
{{Family name hatnote | [[Chen (surname)|Chen (陳)]]  |lang=Taiwanese }}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=January 2013}}
{{expand Chinese|date=October 2022|topic=bio}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Chen Shui-bian
| native_name         = {{No bold|陳水扁}}
| native_name_lang    = zh-Hant
| image               = 陳水扁總統.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2000
| office              = 5th [[President of the Republic of China]]
| term_start          = 20 May 2000
| term_end            = 20 May 2008
| premier             = {{collapsible list|title=''See list''|[[Tang Fei]]|[[Chang Chun-hsiung]] (1st)|[[Yu Shyi-kun]]|[[Frank Hsieh]]|[[Su Tseng-chang]]|Chang Chun-hsiung (2nd)}}
| 1blankname          = [[Vice President of the Republic of China|Vice President]]
| 1namedata           = [[Annette Lu]]
| predecessor         = [[Lee Teng-hui]]
| successor           = [[Ma Ying-jeou]]
| order2              = 9th & 12th
| office2             = Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party
| term_start2         = 15 October 2007
| term_end2           = 12 January 2008
| 1blankname2         = Secretary General
| 1namedata2          = [[Cho Jung-tai]]
| predecessor2        = [[Yu Shyi-kun]]
| successor2          = [[Frank Hsieh]] {{small|(acting)}}
| term_start3         = 21 July 2002
| term_end3           = 11 December 2004
| 1blankname3         = Secretary General
| 1namedata3          = [[Chang Chun-hsiung]]
| predecessor3        = [[Frank Hsieh]]
| successor3          = [[Ker Chien-ming]] {{small|(acting)}}
| office4             = 10th [[Mayor of Taipei]]
| term_start4         = 25 December 1994
| term_end4           = 25 December 1998
| predecessor4        = [[Huang Ta-chou]] (as appointed mayor)
| successor4          = [[Ma Ying-jeou]]
| office5             = [[Member of the Legislative Yuan]]
| term_start5         = 1 February 1990
| term_end5           = 25 December 1994
| constituency5       = [[Legislative Yuan constituencies in Taipei City|Taipei I]]
| office6             = [[Taipei City Council]]lor
| term_start6         = 25 December 1981
| term_end6           = 28 September 1985
| constituency6       = Taipei II ([[Songshan District, Taipei|Songshan]], [[Neihu]], [[Nangang District, Taipei|Nangang]])
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1950|10|12|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Guantian District]], [[Tainan County]], [[Taiwan]] (now [[Tainan]])
| nationality         = 
| residence           = [[Gushan District]], [[Kaohsiung]]
| party               = [[Democratic Progressive Party|Democratic Progressive]] {{small|(1987–2008, 2013–2019, since 2020–)}}
| otherparty          = {{ubl|[[Independent politician|Independent]] (1979–1987, 2008–2013)||[[Kuomintang]] (1970–1987){{efn|Chen participated in the [[Tangwai movement|''Tangwai'' movement]], although he was officially a Kuomintang member until 1987.}}|[[Taiwan Action Party Alliance]] (2019–2020)}}
| spouse              = {{marriage|[[Wu Shu-chen]]|1975}}
| module              = {{Infobox Chinese
|child=yes
|t=陳水扁
|s=陈水扁
|p=Chén Shuǐbiǎn
|tp=Chén Shuěi-biǎn
|w=Ch'en<sup>2</sup> Shui<sup>3</sup>-pien<sup>3</sup>
|mi={{IPAc-cmn|ch|en|2|-|sh|ui|2|.|b|ian|3}}
|poj=Tân Chúi-píⁿ
|tl=Tân Tsuí-pínn
}}
| education           = [[National Taiwan University]] ([[LLB]])
}}

'''Chen Shui-bian''' ({{lang-zh|t=陳水扁}}; born 12 October 1950) is a Taiwanese former politician and lawyer who served as the fifth [[president of the Republic of China]] ([[Taiwan]]) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] (DPP), ending the [[Kuomintang]]'s (KMT) 55 years of continuous rule in [[Taiwan]]. He is sometimes referred to by the nickname '''A-Bian''' ({{zhi|c=阿扁}}).

A lawyer, Chen entered politics in 1980 during the [[Kaohsiung Incident]] as a member of the [[Tangwai]] movement and was elected to the Taipei City Council in 1981. In 1985, as the editor of the weekly pro-democracy magazine ''Neo-Formosa'', he was jailed for libel following publication of an article critical of [[Elmer Fung]], a college philosophy professor who was later elected a New Party legislator. After being released, Chen helped found the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 1986 and was elected a member of the [[Legislative Yuan]] in 1989, and Mayor of Taipei in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Storm.mg |date=2018-07-10 |title=為什麼要把市府服務櫃台從125公分高降爲70公分？陳水扁揭曉原因-風傳媒 |trans-title=Why lower the city hall service counter from 125 cm to 70 cm? Chen Shui-bian reveals the reason - Storm Media. |url=https://www.storm.mg/article/460891 |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=www.storm.mg |language=zh-TW}}</ref>

Chen won the [[2000 Republic of China presidential election|2000 presidential election]] on 18 March with 39% of the vote as a result of a split of factions within the Kuomintang, when [[James Soong]] ran for the presidency as an independent against the party nominee [[Lien Chan]], becoming the first non-member of the Kuomintang to hold the office of president. Although Chen received high approval ratings during the first few weeks of his term, his popularity sharply dropped due to alleged corruption within his administration and the inability to pass legislation against the opposition KMT, who controlled the Legislative Yuan. In 2004, he won reelection by a narrow margin after surviving a [[March 19 shooting incident|shooting]] while campaigning the day before the election. Opponents suspected him of staging the incident for political purposes.  However, the case was officially closed in 2005 with all evidence pointing to a single deceased suspect, [[Chen Yi-hsiung]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-11-06 |title=馬習會拉近兩岸距離？ 80年代後雙方的交流回顧 |trans-title=Did the Ma-Xi meeting bring the two sides of the Strait closer? A review of cross-Strait exchanges since the 1980s |url=https://www.ettoday.net/news/20151106/592487.htm |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=www.ettoday.net |language=zh-Hant}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=第10~11任 陳總統水扁先生-行憲後歷任總統-行憲後歷任總統與副總統-總統與副總統 |trans-title=The 10th-11th Term President Chen Shui-bian - Presidents After the Constitution - Past Presidents and Vice Presidents After the Constitution - Presidents and Vice Presidents |url=https://www.president.gov.tw/Page/87 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122011850/https://www.president.gov.tw/Page/87 |archive-date=22 January 2025 |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=中華民國總統府 |language=zh-tw |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2009, Chen and his wife [[Wu Shu-chen]] were convicted on two bribery charges. Chen was sentenced to 19 years in [[Taipei Prison]], reduced from a life sentence on appeal, but was granted medical parole on 5 January 2015.<ref>{{cite news |date=6 January 2015 |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2015/01/06/2003608566 |title=Chen Shui-bian released |newspaper=[[Taipei Times]] |page=1 |access-date=6 January 2015 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213951/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2015/01/06/2003608566 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2010/12/04/2003490058 |title=Chen Shui-bian now prisoner No. 1020 |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=4 December 2010 |page=1 |access-date=10 December 2010 |archive-date=6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306014142/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2010/12/04/2003490058 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Taiwan's ex-President Chen Shui-bian released on medical parole |url=https://www.dw.com/en/taiwans-ex-president-chen-shui-bian-released-on-medical-parole/a-18170429 |work=[[DW News]] |date=5 January 2015 |access-date=7 November 2021 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107010900/https://www.dw.com/en/taiwans-ex-president-chen-shui-bian-released-on-medical-parole/a-18170429 |url-status=live }}</ref> Chen's supporters have claimed that his trial and sentencing were politically motivated retribution by the Kuomintang for his years in power.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7726702.stm |work=BBC News |first=Cindy |last=Sui |title=Differing views on Taiwan trial |date=30 March 2009 |access-date=11 October 2013 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203095543/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7726702.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/10/chen-shui-bian | newspaper=The Economist | title=Terms of imprisonment | access-date=13 July 2017 | archive-date=27 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027175648/http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/10/chen-shui-bian | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/12/17/2003550344 |title=Chen's trial unfair, FAHR mission says |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=31 December 2016 |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-date=27 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827134224/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/12/17/2003550344 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Chen was born to an impoverished [[tenant farmer|tenant farming]] family of [[Hoklo Taiwanese|Hoklo]] ethnicity in [[Guantian District|Kuantien Township]] of [[Tainan County]] (now part of Tainan City) on the second day of the ninth lunar month in 1950 but was not formally issued a birth certificate until 18 February 1951, because of doubts that he would survive.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McCarthy|first1=Terry|title=Profile of a President|url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2053775,00.html|access-date=14 April 2016|work=[[Time Asia]]|date=27 March 2000|archive-date=14 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414114247/http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2053775,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Magnier|first1=Mark|last2=Tsai|first2=Ting-I|title=Taiwan's Chief Under a Cloud|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2006/jun/23/world/fg-scandal23/2|access-date=14 April 2016|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=23 June 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427142353/http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jun/23/world/fg-scandal23/2|archive-date=27 April 2016}}</ref>

Chen was educated in Mandarin Chinese, which had replaced Japanese as the national language following the end of the Japanese administration of Taiwan.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Lam Peng-Er|date=1 January 2004|title=Japan-Taiwan Relations: Between Affinity and Reality|journal=Asian Affairs|volume=30|issue=4|page=251|jstor=30172589|quote="However, Chen Shui-bian, like most Taiwanese of his generation, does not speak Japanese. Chen's generation was educated in Chinese, a policy spearheaded by the [[Kuomintang]] to resynthesize Taiwan after more than half a century of Nipponization."}}<!--This is important - Taiwanese historically had received education in Japanese, before the KMT took over Taiwan.--></ref> Academically bright from a young age, he graduated from the prestigious [[National Tainan First Senior High School]] with honors. In June 1969, he was admitted to [[National Taiwan University]]. Initially a business administration major, he switched to law in his first year and became editor of the school's law review. He passed the [[bar exam]]s before the completion of his junior year with the highest score, becoming Taiwan's youngest lawyer. He graduated in 1974 with an [[LL.B.]] in commercial law.

In 1975, he married [[Wu Shu-chen]], the daughter of a physician.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Eyton |first1=Laurence |title=Made in Taiwan |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/insight/archives/2000/03/16/0000028044 |newspaper=Taipei Times |page=9 |date=16 March 2000 |access-date=14 April 2016 |archive-date=21 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421200014/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/insight/archives/2000/03/16/0000028044 |url-status=live }}</ref> The couple have a daughter, Chen Hsing-yu, who is a dentist; and a son, Chen Chih-chung, who, having received a law degree in Taiwan, gained a [[Master of Laws]] from the [[University of California, Berkeley]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Taiwan Quick Take: Chen's son graduates, again |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/05/15/2003308273 |work=Taipei Times |page=3 |date=15 May 2006 |access-date=22 October 2006 |archive-date=22 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060822185100/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/05/15/2003308273 |url-status=live }}</ref>

From 1976 to 1989, Chen was a partner in Formosa International Marine and Commercial Law, specializing in maritime insurance. He held the firm's portfolio for [[Evergreen Marine Corporation]].

==Entry into politics==
Chen became involved in politics in 1980 when he defended the participants of the [[Kaohsiung Incident]] in a military court. While his client [[Huang Hsin-chieh]], the leading opposition dissident, and seven co-defendants, including his future Vice President [[Annette Lu]], were found guilty, Chen came to be known for his forceful and colorful arguments. He has stated that it was during this period that he realized the unfairness of the political system in Taiwan and became politically active as a member of the [[Tangwai]] movement.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

Chen won a seat in the Taipei City Council as a Tangwai candidate in 1981 and served until 1985. In 1984, he founded the pro-opposition Civil Servant Public Policy Research Association, which published a magazine called ''Neo-Formosa''.  On 12 January 1985, Chen was sentenced to a year in prison for [[libel]] as a result of his editorship of ''Neo-Formosa,'' following the publication of an article which claimed that the doctoral dissertation of [[Elmer Fung]], a college philosophy professor (who would later become a [[New Party (Taiwan)|New Party]] legislator), was plagiarized.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ko |first1=Shu-ling |title='Neo Formosa Weekly' resumes on the Web |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/09/11/2003453293 |access-date=6 November 2021 |work=[[Taipei Times]] |date=11 September 2009 |archive-date=6 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106071705/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/09/11/2003453293 |url-status=live }}</ref>

While appealing the sentence, he returned to Tainan to run for county magistrate in November 1985. Three days after losing the election, his wife, [[Wu Shu-chen]] was hit twice by a [[hand tractor]] driven by Chang Jong-tsai as Chen and Wu were thanking their supporters. She was left paralyzed from the waist down. His supporters believed this was part of a government campaign to intimidate him, although another theory says it was a simple traffic accident.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yu |first1=Sen-lun |title=The A-bian Family |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2000/05/21/0000036944 |access-date=6 November 2021 |work=[[Taipei Times]] |date=21 May 2000 |archive-date=6 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106062435/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2000/05/21/0000036944 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=新浪雜誌 – 阿扁抹黑張榮財21年 |trans-title=Sina Magazine – A-Bian slandered Chang Jung-tsai for 21 years. |url=http://magazine.sina.com.tw/chinatimesweekly/1482/2006-07-18/ba14259.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525124645/http://magazine.sina.com.tw/chinatimesweekly/1482/2006-07-18/ba14259.shtml |archive-date=25 May 2008 |access-date=6 February 2016}}</ref>

Chen lost his appeal in May 1986 and began serving eight months in the [[Taipei Detention Center, Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice|Tucheng Penitentiary]] along with [[Huang Tien-fu]] and [[Lee I-yang]], two other defendants in the case. Whilst in Tucheng the 3 prisoners were also joined for a period of time by [[Chi Chia-wei]] a prominent gay rights activist in Taiwan.<ref>{{Cite web |title="I Was Immediately Arrested And Held For More Than Six Months" |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/arrested-05242019111638.html |access-date=12 July 2022 |website=Radio Free Asia |date=24 May 2019 |language=en |archive-date=12 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712164949/https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/arrested-05242019111638.html |url-status=live |last1=Hsia|first1=Hsiao-hwa|translator=Luisetta Mudie|editor-last1=Mudie|editor-first1=Luisetta}}</ref> While he was in prison, his wife campaigned and was elected to the [[Legislative Yuan]].  Upon his release in 1987, Chen served as her chief counsel.<ref>{{cite news |title=A profile in courage |url=https://www.taiwandc.org/twcom/tc92-int.pdf |access-date=24 July 2020 |work=Taiwan Comminqué |issue=92 |issn=1027-3999 |date=July 2000 |archive-date=11 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711110839/http://www.taiwandc.org/twcom/tc92-int.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 2022, the [[Transitional Justice Commission]] overturned Chen, Huang and Lee's libel charges.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yeh |first1=Su-ping |last2=Kao |first2=Evelyn |title=Justice Commission overturns convictions during martial law period |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202205230024 |access-date=24 May 2022 |agency=Central News Agency |date=23 May 2022 |archive-date=24 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524010750/https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202205230024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1989, Chen was elected to the [[Legislative Yuan]] and served as the executive director of the Democratic Progressive Party caucus. With the support of some KMT colleagues, Chen was also elected convener of the National Defense Committee. He was instrumental in laying out and moderating many of the DPP's positions on [[Taiwan independence]], including the [[four ifs]]. He was reelected to another three-year term in 1992, but resigned in two years to become mayor.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

==Taipei mayoralty, 1994–1998==
Chen was elected as the mayor of [[Taipei]] in 1994, largely as the result of a vote split between the KMT incumbent [[Huang Ta-chou]] and the KMT-spin-off [[New Party (Taiwan)|New Party]] (NP) candidate [[Jaw Shaw-kong]]. Unable to find experienced bureaucrats from his own party, Chen and his inner circle of young law school graduates retained many of the KMT administrators and delegated considerable authority.

{|class="wikitable collapsible" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! colspan="7" |1994 Taipei City mayoral election result
|-
! colspan="2" style="background:#e9e9e9; width:20em;"| Party
!  style="background:#e9e9e9; width:2em;"| #
!  style="background:#e9e9e9; width:13em;"| Candidate
!  style="background:#e9e9e9; width:6em;"| Votes
! colspan="2" style="background:#e9e9e9; width:11em;"| Percentage
|-
| style="background:#000;"|
|align=left| [[File:Independent candidate icon (TW).svg|25px]] Independent
|align=center| 1
|align=left| [[Ji Rong-zhi]] (紀榮治)
|align=right| 3,941
|align=right| 0.28%
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   bar:Wikipedias from:0 till:0.28 color:black width:0.2in
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|-
| style="background:#ffdb00;"|
|align=left| [[File:Np logo.png|25px]] [[New Party (Taiwan)|New Party]]
|align=center| 2
|align=left| [[Jaw Shaw-kong]]
|align=right| 424,905
|align=right| 30.17%
|align=right| <timeline>
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|-
| style="background:#009a00;"|
|align=left|'''[[Democratic Progressive Party]]'''
|align=center| '''3'''
|align=left| '''Chen Shui-bian'''
|align=right| '''615,090'''
|align=right| '''43.67%'''
|align=right| [[Image:Elected candidate symbol (voting stamp, Taiwan).svg|25px]] <timeline>
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|-
| style="background:#003586;"|
|align=left| [[File:Emblem of the Kuomintang.svg|25px]] [[Kuomintang]]
|align=center| 4
|align=left| [[Huang Ta-chou]]
|align=right| 364,618
|align=right| 25.89%
|align=right| <timeline>
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|- style="background:#eee;"
| colspan="4" style="text-align:right;"|'''Total'''
|align=right|'''1,408,554'''
| style="text-align:right;" colspan="2"|'''100.00%'''
|-  style="background:#eee; text-align:right;"
| colspan="4"| Voter turnout
| colspan="3" style="text-align:right;"|
|}

During his term, Chen received accolades for his campaigns to drive [[Gambling in Taiwan#Illegal gambling|illegal gambling]] and [[Prostitution in Taiwan|prostitution rackets out of Taipei]]. He levied large fines on polluters and reformed public works contracts. Chen renamed many of the roads in Taipei, most notably the road which runs between KMT headquarters to the Presidential Palace from Chieh-shou Road ({{lang|zh|介壽路}}) to [[Ketagalan Boulevard]] in an effort to acknowledge the [[Taiwanese aboriginal|aboriginal people]] of the Taipei basin. Chen also made highly publicized evictions of longtime KMT squatters on municipal land, and ordered [[Chiang Wei-kuo]]'s estate demolished. Chen was also named one of Asia's rising stars, and Taipei became one of the top 50 cities in Asia according to ''[[Time Asia]]'' magazine.

Despite receiving more votes both in absolute and in percentage terms than his 1994 campaign, Chen lost the mayoral election of 1998 to the KMT's candidate and future president [[Ma Ying-jeou]] in large part because the KMT was able to gain the support of New Party supporters. In his first autobiography, "The Son of Taiwan", Chen wrote that he was not entirely upset about losing the re-election as it gave him opportunity to find out what areas in his political career he could improve. For example, he wrote that mainland Chinese people generally approved of his social and economic improvements in Taipei, but they ultimately voted for Ma because of ethnic tensions.

{|class="wikitable collapsible" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! colspan="7" |1998 Taipei City mayoral election result
|-
! colspan="2" style="background:#e9e9e9; width:20em;"| Party
!  style="background:#e9e9e9; width:2em;"| #
!  style="background:#e9e9e9; width:13em;"| Candidate
!  style="background:#e9e9e9; width:6em;"| Votes
! colspan="2" style="background:#e9e9e9; width:11em;"| Percentage
|-
| style="background:#009a00;"|
|align=left|[[Democratic Progressive Party]]
|align=center| 1
|align=left|Chen Shui-bian
|align=right| 688,072
|align=right| 45.91%
|align=right| <timeline>
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|-
| style="background:#003586;"|
|align=left| [[File:Emblem of the Kuomintang.svg|25px]] '''[[Kuomintang]]'''
|align=center| '''2'''
|align=left|'''[[Ma Ying-jeou]]'''
|align=right| '''766,377'''
|align=right| '''51.13%'''
|align=right| [[Image:Elected candidate symbol (voting stamp, Taiwan).svg|25px]] <timeline>
ImageSize = width:100 height:25
PlotArea = left:0 bottom:0 top:0 right:0
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
DateFormat = x.y
Period = from:0 till:100
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
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   id:blue value:rgb(0, 0.208, 0.525)
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   bar:Wikipedias from:0 till:100 color:gray width:0.2in
   bar:Wikipedias from:0 till:51.13 color:blue width:0.2in
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|-
| style="background:#ffdb00;"|
|align=left| [[New Party (Taiwan)|New Party]]
|align=center| 3
|align=left|[[Wang Chien-shien]]
|align=right| 44,452
|align=right| 2.97%
|align=right| <timeline>
ImageSize = width:100 height:25
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|- style="background:#eee;"
| colspan="4" style="text-align:right;"|'''Total'''
|align=right|'''1,498,901'''
| style="text-align:right;" colspan="2"|'''100.00%'''
|-  style="background:#eee; text-align:right;"
| colspan="4"| Voter turnout
| colspan="3" style="text-align:right;"|
|}

He also traveled extensively nationwide and abroad. In South Korea, he met with president [[Kim Dae-jung]], who presented him with an award.<ref>{{cite web |date=30 March 2000 |title=천수이볜의 한국사랑 빛을 볼 것인가 |trans-title=Will Chen Shui-bian's love for Korea come to light? |url=http://legacy.h21.hani.co.kr/h21/data/L000320/05a93k0n.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830134550/http://legacy.h21.hani.co.kr/h21/data/L000320/05a93k0n.html |archive-date=30 August 2022 |access-date=30 August 2022 |newspaper=The Hankyoreh}}</ref> He also met with Japanese prime minister [[Yoshiro Mori]], who promised that he would celebrate if he won the 2000 presidential elections. Due to political complications, this promise was not fulfilled until late 2003. {{citation needed|date=January 2013}}

==Presidency, 2000–2008==

===First term===
{{See also|2000 Taiwanese presidential election}}
[[File:2000ROCPresident-original colors.svg|thumb|100px|Election results by county (Green: DPP, Orange: Soong-Chang)]]

In an election similar to Taipei's in 1994, Chen won the [[2000 ROC presidential election|2000 presidential election]] on 18 March 2000, with 39% of the vote as a result of a split of factions within the [[Kuomintang]], when [[James Soong]] ran for the presidency as an independent against the party nominee [[Lien Chan]].

Lacking a clear mandate and inheriting a bureaucracy largely loyal to the KMT, Chen tried to reach out to his opposition. He appointed the KMT conservative mainlander [[Tang Fei]], a former general and the incumbent defense minister, as his first [[Premier of the Republic of China|premier]]. Only about half of Chen's original cabinet were DPP members, as few DPP politicians had risen above the local level. Although a supporter of [[Taiwan independence]], Chen moderated his stance during his campaign and pledged the [[Four Noes and One Without]] in his inaugural address—that as long as the People's Republic of China has no intention to use military force against Taiwan, he would not declare independence nor change the national symbols of the Republic of China. He also promised to be, "president of all the people" and resigned his chairmanship from the DPP. His approval rating reached around 70%.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Moore |first1=Jonathan |last2=Roberts |first2=Dexter |title=Taipei's mayor: The man China fears |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1998/46/b3604055.htm |access-date=30 September 2014 |magazine=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]] |date=16 November 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121170446/http://www.businessweek.com/1998/46/b3604055.htm |archive-date=21 January 2011 }}</ref>

Chen's administration ran into many problems, and its policies were constantly blocked by the [[pan-Blue coalition]]-controlled legislature. The stock market lost over half its value within a year and unemployment reached 4.5% in part because of the Asian stock market crash. While Chen's detractors blamed Chen's poor leadership for the economic crisis, the administration blamed the legislature for blocking its relief efforts.

More troublesome for Chen was the political showdown over the construction of the [[Number Four Nuclear Power Facility]]. This multibillion-dollar project in [[Gongliao District]] was already one-third completed and favored by the pro-business KMT as a means of avoiding an energy shortage. However, the environmentalist DPP strongly objected to the expansion of nuclear power. Premier Tang had threatened to resign if the project were canceled, and Chen accepted his resignation on 3 October 2000, only four and a half months after both had taken office. Chen appointed his political ally [[Chang Chun-hsiung]] as Tang's replacement. On 27 October, Chang announced that the government would halt construction. But less than an hour earlier, Chen had met with Lien Chan to reconcile differences{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}}. Lien had asked Chen to leave the matter for the [[Legislative Yuan]] to decide and Chen seemed receptive to the suggestion. When Chang's announcement came out, Lien was furious and the KMT began an effort to recall the president. The [[Council of Grand Justices]] intervened and declared that it was the legislature and not the cabinet that had the power to decide on the issue. This was widely seen as the end of Chen's attempts to face the pan-Blue groups head on. By the end of his first year in office, Chen's approval ratings had dropped to 25%.{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}}

During the summer of 2001, Chen flew to Los Angeles, [[Houston]], and New York City, where he met with members of the U.S. Congress. The mayor of Houston presented Chen with a key to the city and gave him cowboy clothing. His trip to New York was a first for a head of state from Taiwan as there was unwritten agreement between the US and China that no head of state from Taiwan would be permitted to visit either New York or Washington, D.C.{{Citation needed|date=September 2012}}

After his first year in office, Chen moved away from sending conciliatory gestures. In the summer of 2002, Chen again became the chairman of the DPP. During his tenure, images of [[Chiang Kai-shek]] and [[Chiang Ching-kuo]] disappeared from public buildings. The word "TAIWAN" is now printed on new ROC passports. Also continuing a trend from the previous administration, the Education Ministry revised the school curriculum to be more Taiwan-centered. Government websites have also tended to promote the notion that China is synonymous with the PRC instead of the ROC as was mandated by the KMT. The "Free China Review" was renamed the [[Taiwan Review]] and Who's Who in the ROC was renamed Who's Who in Taiwan. In January 2003, a new Taiwan-Tibet Exchange Foundation was formed but the Cabinet-level [[Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission]] was not abolished. Though Chen has proposed talks with the PRC, relations remain deadlocked as Chen refused to pledge to the [[One-China policy]], as required by the PRC for talks to begin. Such a pledge seemed unlikely for Chen since there remained strong opposition within his own party. Despite these symbolic gestures, Chen moved away from "[[no haste, be patient]]" policy and opened the [[three mini links]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wang |first1=T. Y. |title=Lifting the "No Haste, Be Patient" Policy: Implications for Cross-Strait Relations |journal=Cambridge Review of International Affairs |date=2002 |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=131–139 |doi=10.1080/09557570220126342|s2cid=144195919 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Noah J |title=China opens door to direct trade links with Taiwan |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-opens-door-to-direct-trade-links-with-taiwan-5367695.html |access-date=1 September 2018 |work=The Independent |date=29 December 2000 |archive-date=2 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902020333/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-opens-door-to-direct-trade-links-with-taiwan-5367695.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Pan |first1=Philip P. |last2=Culpan |first2=Tim |title=China, Taiwan Agree to Direct Flights |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12524-2005Jan15.html |access-date=1 September 2018 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=16 January 2005 |archive-date=28 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828191724/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12524-2005Jan15.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Taiwan stands up |url=https://www.economist.com/special/2000/03/23/taiwan-stands-up |access-date=1 September 2018 |newspaper=The Economist |date=23 March 2000 |archive-date=2 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084210/https://www.economist.com/special/2000/03/23/taiwan-stands-up |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{POV|date=December 2020}}

====Re-election campaign====
{{See also|2004 Taiwanese presidential election|3-19 shooting incident}}
[[File:2004ROCPresident.svg|thumb|100px|Election results by county (Green: DPP, Blue: Lien-Soong)]]
In late 2003, he signed a controversial referendum bill, which he had supported but was heavily watered down by the [[pan-Blue coalition|pan-Blue]] majority legislature. One concession that the legislature made was to include a provision for an emergency defensive referendum and during the legislative debates it was widely believed that this clause would only be invoked if Taiwan was under imminent threat of attack from China as has been so often threatened. Within a day of the passage of the referendum bill, Chen stated his intention to invoke this provision, citing PRC's over 450 missiles aimed directly at the Taiwanese. Pan-Blue believed that his bill was only intended to benefit Chen in the coming election, as whether PRC removes the missiles would not be pressured or decided by referendum result.

[[Image:Presidential Building, Taiwan (0757).JPG|thumb|Images of Chiang Kai-shek were removed from public buildings. Chen's portrait was hung at a location in the presidential office that previously displayed a portrait of Chiang.]]

In October 2003, Chen flew to New York City for a second time. At the [[Waldorf-Astoria Hotel]], he was presented with the Human Rights Award by the [[International League of Human Rights]]. In the subsequent leg of the trip to Panama, he met with US Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]] and shook hands with him. This high-profile trip raised Chen's standing in opinion polls ahead of his opponent Lien Chan for the first time at 35%, according to Agence France-Presse.

His use of the referendum in combination with his talk of a new constitution lead many among his reunification critics to believe that he would attempt to achieve [[Taiwan independence]] in his second term by invoking a referendum to create a new constitution that would formally separate Taiwan from any interpretation of China. This caused the government of the United States to follow the lead of Chen's political critics and issue a rare rebuke of Chen's actions.

[[3-19 shooting incident|Chen was shot in the stomach]] while campaigning in the city of [[Tainan City|Tainan]] on Friday, 19 March 2004, the day before polls opened on Saturday. His vice-president [[Annette Lu]] was also reportedly shot in the leg in the same incident. The following day, Chen narrowly won the election with a margin of less than 30,000 votes out of 12.9&nbsp;million votes counted. Both of his referendum proposals were rejected due to insufficient turnout, in part by the pan-Blue boycott. Those that did vote for the referendum overwhelmingly favored it. Pan-Blue candidate [[Lien Chan]] refused to concede and sued both for a recount and for a nullification of the outcome while supporters held a week-long protest led by the pan-Blues front of the [[Presidential Building (Taiwan)|presidential office]] in Taipei. He also claimed that the shooting was staged by Chen to win sympathy votes.

Throughout the election, Chen planned to hold a referendum in 2006 on a new [[Constitution of the Republic of China|constitution]] to be enacted upon the accession of the 12th-term president in May 2008. After the election, he sought to reassure critics and moderate supporters that the new constitution would not address the issue of sovereignty, and that the current constitution was in need of comprehensive reform after more than a decade of patchwork revision.

===Second term===
On 20 May 2004, Chen was sworn in for his second term as president amid continued mass protests by the pan-blue alliance over the validity of his re-election. Having heard protests from pro-independence figures in Taiwan, he did not explicitly re-state the [[Four Noes and One Without]] but did state that he reaffirmed the commitments made in his first inaugural. He defended his proposals to change the constitution, but asked for constitutional reform to be undertaken through existing procedures instead of calling for a referendum for an entirely new constitution which was proposed by former president Lee Teng-hui. This would require approval by a three-fourths majority of the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]] which could authorize a referendum. This has two major implications. First, by going through existing constitutional amendment procedures, this has the symbolic effect of maintaining continuity with the existing constitution which was originally written in China. Second, this has the practical effect of requiring the Chen administration to get the consent of the opposition [[pan-Blue coalition]] to pass any amendments, and while the opposition is willing to consider constitutional reforms that would increase governmental efficiency, they are unlikely to support anything that would imply a ''de jure'' declaration of independence.

However, even these seemingly conciliatory gestures did not quell unease by his critics at his election. Some have pointed out that he qualified his statements on the constitution with the statement that this is a personal suggestion. Furthermore, it is widely believed in Taiwan that some of these gestures were essentially forced on him again by pressure from the United States and the PRC. The PRC has stated many times that it cares little about what Chen says, but will watch closely in the next few months to see what he does, a standard sentence that Communist China continues to quote.

[[Image:2006TaiwanSportEliteAwards AbianChen.jpg|thumb|Chen Shui-bian addressed his opening speech at 2006 Taiwan Sports Elite Awards]]

Three days before Chen's inauguration, the [[Taiwan Affairs Office]] of the [[People's Republic of China|PRC]] issued what has become known as the [[May 17 Declaration]]. In that declaration, China accused Chen of continuing with a creep toward independence, having merely paid lip service to his commitments in his first term of office, and reiterated that there would be consequences if Chen did not halt policies toward [[Taiwan independence]], but at the same time offered major concessions if Chen would accept the [[One China Principle]].

In late 2004, in effort to maintain the [[balance of power in international relations|balance of power]] in the region, Chen began eagerly pushing for a US$18&nbsp;billion arms purchase from the United States, but the Pan-Blue Coalition repeatedly blocked the deal in the legislature. Criticism has been made of this, citing contradictory arguments used, such as that the weapons were not what Taiwan needed, or that the weapons were a good idea but too expensive. By late 2006, the KMT had signalled it would support some of the arms sale being approved, but failed to pass a revised arms bill by the end of the legislative session in early 2007, despite promises by then KMT chairman, [[Ma Ying-jeou]], to do that.

Chen announced on 5 December that state-owned or private enterprises and foreign offices bearing the name "China", such as [[China Airlines]], the [[China Steel Corporation]], and [[Chinese Petroleum Corporation]], would be renamed to bear the name "Taiwan." On 14 December 2004, following the failure of the [[Pan-Green coalition]] to gain a majority of seats in the [[2004 ROC legislative election]] (as many had expected to occur), Chen resigned as chairman of the DPP. This dashed hopes that the stalemate that plagued Chen's first term would end.

[[File:Pope johnpaul funeral politics.jpeg|thumb|left|At the funeral of Pope John Paul II, Chen (''far left''), whom the Holy See recognized as the head of state of China, was seated in the front row ([[List of dignitaries at the funeral of Pope John Paul II|in French alphabetical order]]) beside the first lady and president of Brazil.]]

In 2005 Chen became the first ROC president to visit Europe, when he attended the [[funeral of Pope John Paul II]] in the [[Vatican City]] (the [[Holy See]] continues to maintain diplomatic relations with the ROC). In order to shore up diplomatic support, it is common for the ROC president to visit the ROC's remaining diplomatic allies; however, past presidents had been prevented from visiting the Vatican because such a visit would require passage through Italy, which maintains relations with the PRC. Under agreement with the Vatican, Italy permitted all guests to the funeral passage without hindrance and Chen was received at the airport in his capacity as a foreign head of state. In this religious ceremony where U.S. president [[George W. Bush]] greeted Iranian president Khatami, Chen did not seem to attempt to a high profile of himself by reaching out to other heads of states such as Bush or British prime minister [[Tony Blair]]. Chen was named one of the [[Time 100|''Time'' 100]] for 2005.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/2005/time100/leaders/100shui-bian.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209012951/http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/2005/time100/leaders/100shui-bian.html |archive-date=9 December 2006 |title=The 2005 Time 100 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=7 January 2017}}</ref>

Later in the year, Chen traveled to Miami in stopover for a forum in the Caribbean. He met with members of the [[U.S. Congress]] through video conference and was invited to visit Washington, D.C. On his way back, he was originally scheduled to fly through San Francisco. However, he changed course and stopped-over at the United Arab Emirates. The head of state greeted him and hosted a formal state dinner, infuriating the Chinese officials. Chen made his way back after making a stopover at [[Jakarta]]. His request for a pitstop at Singapore was denied; authorities cited weather problems.

On [[228 Incident|28 February]] 2006, Chen announced that the [[National Unification Council]], which was set up in 1990 to create guidelines for unification with China if it adopted democracy, would "cease to function". He took care to use this phrase rather than "abolish" because he had promised during his 2000 campaign that he would not abolish the council or its guidelines.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bradsher|first=Keith|date=28 February 2006|title=Taiwan's Leader Defies Beijing's Warnings|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/28/world/asia/taiwans-leader-defies-beijings-warnings.html|access-date=21 June 2020|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=23 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623114832/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/28/world/asia/taiwans-leader-defies-beijings-warnings.html|url-status=live}}</ref>  Adam Ereli, deputy spokesman of the US State Department, issued a statement on 2 March 2006, that the understanding of the United States was that the difference between "abolish" and "ceasing activity" implied no change in the status quo.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ait.org.tw/en/news/officialtext/viewer.asp?ID=2006030302&GROUP=BG |title=AIT – Official Texts – OTI-0603E |access-date=6 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060422070523/http://www.ait.org.tw/en/news/officialtext/viewer.asp?ID=2006030302&GROUP=BG |archive-date=22 April 2006 }}</ref>

On 3 May 2006, Chen canceled plans to pass through the United States on his way to Latin America. He was hoping to stop by either San Francisco or New York City to refuel and stay overnight, but the US refused his request instead limiting him to a brief refuelling stopover in Anchorage, Alaska, where Chen would not be allowed to step off the plane. Chen and Taiwan saw this as a snub and led to Chen's cancellation. The trip to Latin America continued, however, without a US stopover. The US State Department claimed that the Alaska stopover offer was consistent with its previous accommodations. However, former Taiwan president [[Lee Teng-hui]] was granted a visit to [[Cornell University]] eleven years earlier. More recently, in addition, Taiwan's leaders have in general been granted permission to stopover in the United States for brief periods before continuing on to other countries. This recent American stance is interpreted by Taiwan to be an expression of the increasing irritation the United States feels towards Taiwan and Chen's seemingly pro-independence gestures. Chen attended the inauguration of [[Óscar Arias]], the president of [[Costa Rica]], one of the few countries that recognized the Republic of China at that time. [[Laura Bush]] was also present to represent U.S. president [[George W. Bush]]. Chen seized the opportunity, approached her and shook her hands, while Chen's aide produced a camera immediately for an impromptu [[photo-op]]. Chen's supporters saw this act as a step forward in Taiwan's struggle for diplomatic recognition, while his detractors claimed that it was a grave breach of international [[etiquette]] and put Taiwan to shame.
[[File:2007TaipeiInternationalFlowerExhibition ShuibianChen.jpg|thumb|Shui-bian Chen visited 2007 Taipei International Flower Exhibition.]]
On 12 May 2007, Premier [[Su Tseng-Chang]] resigned his position, and Chen soon appointed Chang Chun-hsiung to fill the vacant premiership. During Chen's tenure, beginning in 2000, the country has seen six different premiers in the past seven years. During the same period of time, from 2000 onward, the Democratic Progressive Party has also seen seven different chairmen.

Chen's tenure as president expired on 20 May 2008, yielding to successor Ma Ying-Jeou. From his election to his first term to his last days as president, Chen's approval ratings fell from 79% to just 21%.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 May 2008 |title= |script-title=zh:聯合報民調》扁八年 滿意度79%→21% |trans-title=United Daily News Poll: Chen Shui-bian's eight years, approval rating 79% → 21%. |url=http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/NATS4/4348497.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411020418/http://udn.com/NEWS/NATIONAL/NATS4/4348497.shtml |archive-date=11 April 2010 |access-date=26 March 2009 |website=UDN |language=zh}}</ref>

==Corruption scandals==
In May 2006, his approval rating fell to around 20% after a series of scandals centered on his wife and son-in-law.<ref name="Chao apologizes to president">{{cite news |last1=Young |first1=H. T. |title=Chao apologizes to president |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/detail.asp?GRP=B&id=82481 |access-date=6 November 2021 |work=[[China Post]] |date=19 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312080952/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/detail.asp?GRP=B&id=82481 |archive-date=12 March 2007}}</ref> Support from his own party had also dropped with a few prominent members, such as [[Shih Ming-teh]], calling for his resignation in the [[Million Voices Against Corruption, President Chen Must Go]] campaign. On 24 May 2006, his son-in-law, [[Chao Chien-ming]], was taken into custody by the Taipei police on charges of [[insider trading]] and [[embezzlement]] by the opposition party. This was a setback for the Chen Shui-bian administration.<ref name="Chao apologizes to president" /> In related charges, there were accusations from the opposition party that Chen Shui-bian's wife was involved in trading stocks and obtaining [[Sogo|Pacific Sogo Department Store]]'s gift certificates illegally in exchange for settling the disputed ownership.{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}}

On 1 June 2006, Chen declared that he was handing control of governmental matters to [[Premier of the Republic of China]], [[Su Tseng-chang]], and announced he would not be involved in campaigning. He also stated that he was retaining authority on matters that the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|constitution]] required him to retain authority over, presumably foreign affairs and defense policy, as well as relations with the PRC.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5035838.stm |title=Asia-Pacific {{pipe}} Taiwan leader surrenders powers |work=[[BBC News]] |date=1 June 2006 |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-date=6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306030737/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5035838.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 20 July 2006, opposition politicians accused that Chen had used a total of NT$10.2&nbsp;million (US$310,000) worth of "fake invoices" to claim expenses after the National Audit Office found irregularities in presidential office accounts. The Taiwan High Court Prosecutors' Office investigated over this accusation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-09-08 |title=First couple questioned over slush fund - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2006/09/08/2003326656 |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=www.taipeitimes.com}}</ref> In a press release, the presidential office responded that the president assured the investigators that he did not pocket a single cent of the fund. During questioning at the presidential Office on the afternoon of 7 August 2006, the president detailed to the prosecutor how he spent the fund and presented relevant receipts and bank remittance statements.<ref>[http://english.www.gov.tw/TaiwanHeadlines/index.jsp?categid=8&recordid=99228] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118190500/http://english.www.gov.tw/TaiwanHeadlines/index.jsp?categid=8&recordid=99228|date=18 January 2008}}</ref>

Chen also lost a libel case brought on successfully by PFP chairman James Soong. Soong sued the president after Chen repeatedly accused him of secretly meeting the director of the People's Republic of China's Taiwan Affairs Office. Soong successfully sued Chen for NT$3&nbsp;million.<ref>[http://au.news.yahoo.com/070216/2/12g11.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822212721/http://au.news.yahoo.com/070216/2/12g11.html|date=22 August 2007}}</ref>

On 3 November 2006, Chen's wife [[Wu Shu-chen]] and three other high-ranking officials of the Presidential Office were indicted of corruption of NT$14.8&nbsp;million (US$450,000) of government funds using faked documents. Due to the protection from the constitution against prosecution of the sitting president, Chen could not be prosecuted until he left office, and he was not indicted, but was alleged to be an accomplice on his wife's indictment.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6112668.stm|title=Taiwan's Chen in corruption case|work=BBC News|date=3 November 2006|access-date=4 November 2006|archive-date=18 January 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070118212210/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6112668.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The prosecutor of the case indicated that once Chen left office, his office would start the procedures to press charges against Chen. The indictment filed by prosecutors states that the indicted persons obtained government funds earmarked for secret foreign affairs, yet of six supposed secret diplomatic missions, there was sufficient evidence presented for only two. Of the remaining four, it was concluded that one did not exist, and in the case of the other three, the invoices presented were not found to be related to the secret missions.{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}}

The [[pan-Blue coalition]], after receiving the news, demanded to call for another recall motion unless Chen resigned immediately. Another small party that backed Chen previously, Taiwan Solidarity Union, said they would likely to support the upcoming recall measure. If the recall had passed, it would have been up to the voters to decide Chen's fate in a referendum.

Leaders of the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] met together to discuss the unfavorable charges. The meeting ended when party leaders demanded Chen to explain the accusation within three days. There had long been rumblings inside the DPP that Chen has become their liability and should recall him before the presidential election. If Chen had resigned, he would have been the first Taiwanese president to step down and the vice-president, [[Annette Lu]], would likely have taken power.

After the prosecutor announced the indictment, the campaign leader Shih proclaimed that the indictment was the historical high point in [[Taiwan]] and the month-long campaign was a success.{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}}

In a press conference 5 November 2006, Chen rebutted the charges against his wife and members of his presidential office. He said that Taiwan government offices advised him to prepare the receipts in such a fashion, and that after six years of doing so, it is strange that they would never mention an irregularity if it was not the right way to do it. He promised that all of the money actually went to diplomatic missions and did not go into any private pockets. Furthermore, he mentioned that when he took office, he thought his salary was so excessive that he cut his own salary in half, and that reduction is more than the amount he is accused of embezzling, so there is no need for him to take that money. In addition, he said that if the charges against his wife were proven in a court of law just as they were charged, then he would at that time step down as President of the Republic of China.{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}}

In defense of Chen, journalist Therese Shaheen of ''[[The Wall Street Journal Asia]]'' pointed out that controversy surrounding Chen can be in part attributed to the radical reforms he has tried to implement since stepping into power.<ref>{{cite news
 |first = Therese
 |last = Shaheen
 |title = Taiwan's "Refuse-to-Lose" Crowd
 |url = http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all,pubID.25113/pub_detail.asp
 |work = [[The Wall Street Journal Asia]]
 |publisher = [[Dow Jones & Company]]
 |date = 8 November 2006
|access-date = 26 November 2006
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061116150415/http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all%2CpubID.25113/pub_detail.asp
 |archive-date = 16 November 2006
}}</ref>

===Recall motion===
{{See also|Million Voices Against Corruption, President Chen Must Go}}
In mid-June 2007, opposition pan-blue camp lawmakers initiated a recall motion that would allow the voters to remove Chen from power via a public referendum. On 20 June, Chen addressed the nation by television, denying any involvement of the first family or himself (other than his son-in-law) in any of the alleged scandals, or "directly" accepting the department's gift certificates.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-06-21 |title=Taiwan debate on ousting leader |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5100926.stm |access-date=2025-05-27 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The motion was not passed. Of 221 lawmakers in the legislature, all 119 pan-blue and independent legislators voted in favor of the measure, 29 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass the motion. Pan-Green legislators from the president's own party, the [[Democratic Progressive Party|DPP]], refused to receive ballots. [[Pan-Green]] legislators from the allied [[Taiwan Solidarity Union|TSU]] cast abstaining ballots. No legislator voted against the recall motion.

After Wu was indicted, the Pan-Blue parties renewed calls to recall Chen, and TSU at first indicated that it would support the recall this time, but then said it would only support the new recall motion if "concrete evidence concerning corruption is presented".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-11-07 |title=TSU reverses stand on new recall vote - Taipei Times |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2006/11/07/2003335170 |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=www.taipeitimes.com}}</ref>

[[Image:Taiwan's demonstrators1.JPG|thumb|right|200px|The "Besiege the Presidential Office" demonstration on 10 October 2006]]
On 1 September 2006, political activist [[Shih Ming-te]] launched an [[Anti-Chen Campaign|anti-corruption campaign]]. The movement accused Chen of corruption and asked for his resignation. By 7 September, more than one million signatures were collected, each with a donation of NT$100 (approximately US$3.00).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5323466.stm|last=Gluck|first=Caroline|title=Protests against Chen gain ground|work=BBC News|date=7 September 2006|access-date=9 September 2006|archive-date=7 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307014748/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5323466.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> On 9 September, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in the streets of [[Taiwan]], wearing red. According to organisers, around 200,000 to 300,000 people joined the protest outside the presidential offices, but the police used aerial photography [[crowd counting]] techniques to put the number at about 90,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5329816.stm|title=Taiwan leader faces mass protest|work=BBC News|date=9 September 2006|access-date=9 September 2006|archive-date=9 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309190932/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5329816.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Shih Ming-teh confirmed that most of his supporters are from the [[pan-Blue coalition]] in a September interview in ''[[The New York Times]]''.

===2008 elections===
{{Main|2008 Republic of China legislative election|Republic of China presidential election, 2008}}

In the [[2008 Republic of China legislative election|legislative election in 2008]], Chen's party suffered a clear defeat, and Chen subsequently resigned as party chairman. With Chen's resignation and [[Frank Hsieh]]'s ascension as the party's new chairman, the DPP has changed chairmen seven times since Chen took office in 2000.

In the presidential election on 22 March 2008, Kuomintang candidate [[Ma Ying-jeou]] defeated DPP candidate [[Frank Hsieh]].

==Post-presidency==
{{Main|Chen Shui-bian corruption charges}}
[[File:總統會晤韓國前大統領金泳三.jpg|thumb|Chen (right) with former [[President of South Korea]] [[Kim Young-sam]] (2008)]]
Chen stepped down on 20 May 2008, the same day that [[Ma Ying-jeou]] took office as the new president of the Republic of China.<ref>Ralph Jennings, [http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/05/20/asia/OUKWD-UK-TAIWAN-PRESIDENT.php "Taiwan new leader takes office on China pledges"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121216085411/http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/05/20/asia/OUKWD-UK-TAIWAN-PRESIDENT.php |date=16 December 2012 }}, Reuters (''International Herald Tribune''), 20 May 2008.</ref> No longer bearing the title of president, Chen left the [[Presidential Office Building, Taipei|Presidential Office Building]], and his presidential [[Immunity from prosecution (international law)|immunity]] was removed. He was placed under restrictions, such as confinement to Taiwan, by prosecutors as a result of allegations of corruption and [[abuse of authority]], both of which he was later charged guilty of.{{Clarify|date=January 2015}}<!--unclear meaning--> One fraud case involved the handling of a special presidential fund used to pursue Taiwan's foreign diplomacy.

President [[Ma Ying-jeou]] declassified government documents which aided the investigation into Chen's usage of special government funds. Chen's lawyers responded by suing Ma, on 6 August 2008, alleging Ma's declassification of the documents that were initially classified by Chen to be "politically motivated". The documents consisted mainly of receipts and other records of special expenses, which according to Ma's chief aide assured pose no danger to the country's interests once declassified.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080808/wl_asia_afp/taiwanpoliticscorruptionchen_080808062642 Taiwan leader sued for declassifying documents in graft probe]{{dead link|date=August 2024}}.  AFP, Yahoo! News</ref>

After two years of investigation, it was found that Chen Shui-bian received millions from the owners of the [[Taiwan Cement|TCC Company]] after the government bought the [[Longtan District, Taoyuan|Longtan]] land, which was then integrated into the Science Park project.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W4RCDwAAQBAJ&q=Chen+Shui-bian+suicide&pg=PA556|title=The Revival of China （with Pictures）|last=Min|first=M. A. O.|date=27 December 2017|publisher=Mao Min|language=en|access-date=16 October 2020|archive-date=13 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413154149/https://books.google.com/books?id=W4RCDwAAQBAJ&q=Chen+Shui-bian+suicide&pg=PA556|url-status=live}}</ref> There were several other instances of corruption, which became the subject of a graft trial that also included the former president's wife and 11 other co-defendants. The trial revealed that Chen and his wife amassed a total of NT$800 million and some were laundered overseas.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2009/09/12/2003453376|title=Chen Shui-bian gets life|website=Taipei Times|date=12 September 2009|access-date=20 August 2018|archive-date=21 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821093727/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2009/09/12/2003453376|url-status=live}}</ref> The former president was found guilty by the Taipei District Courts of violating Punishment of Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例), Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法), and Criminal Code (刑法).<ref name=":0" />

On 11 September 2009, Chen received a [[life imprisonment|life sentence]] and was fined [[NT$]]200&nbsp;million<ref name="bloomberg.com">Weiyi Lim, Janet Ong [https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=amY.tLT6_t.I "Taiwan Ex-President Chen Sentenced to Life for Graft"], [[Bloomberg News]] 11 September 2009</ref> (US$6.13&nbsp;million) for embezzlement, bribery and money laundering involving a total of US$15&nbsp;million (NT$490&nbsp;million) in funds while in office from 2000 to 2008.<ref name="Taiwan ex-leader jailed for life">{{Cite news |date=2009-09-11 |title=Taiwan ex-leader jailed for life |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8250099.stm |access-date=2025-05-27 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Supporters of Chen contended that the prosecution was politically motivated.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/11/AR2009091100499_2.html]{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/12/AR2008111202626.html |title=Taiwan's Chen Won't Appeal His Detention |website=Washingtonpost.com |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-date=19 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019215636/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/12/AR2008111202626.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Chen is the first ROC president to receive a prison sentence.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2009/09/12/2003453376 |title=Chen Shui-bian gets life |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=31 December 2016 |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-date=20 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420190126/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2009/09/12/2003453376 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 8 June 2010, the Taipei District Court found Chen not guilty of embezzling diplomatic funds.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jun/9/today-p5.htm | title = 外交零用金案 扁一審無罪 | date = 9 June 2010 | work = [[Liberty Times]] | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100612174824/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jun/9/today-p5.htm | archive-date = 12 June 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1281053&lang=eng_news&cate_img=logo_taiwan&cate_rss=TAIWAN_eng | title = Taiwan court finds ex-President Chen Shui-bian not guilty of misusing diplomacy funds – No evidence of Chen wiring state funds to son: Court | date = 8 June 2010 | work = Taiwan News | access-date = 8 June 2010 | archive-date = 4 September 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150904060007/http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1281053&lang=eng_news&cate_img=logo_taiwan&cate_rss=TAIWAN_eng | url-status = dead }}</ref> On 11 June 2010, the High Court decided to reduce Chen's life sentence to 20 years.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127755223 | title = Court Cuts Former Taiwan President's Sentence | date = 11 June 2010 | publisher = National Public Radio (Source: The Associated Press }}{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }})</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=12 June 2010 |title=國務費貪污金額二審從寬認定／扁珍改判20年--扁堅持無罪將上訴 |trans-title=State Affairs Fund corruption amount leniently determined in second trial / Chen Shui-bian and Wu Shu-chen's sentence changed to 20 years - Chen insists on innocence and will appeal. |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jun/12/today-t1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614233409/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jun/12/today-t1.htm |archive-date=14 June 2010 |work=Liberty Times}}</ref> Through several court cases and pleads for bail, the High Court rejected his request for bail and continued to detain him in jail for another 5 months.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/06/19/2003475854 | title = High Court extends former president's period of custody | date = 19 June 2010 | work = Taipei Times | access-date = 19 June 2010 | archive-date = 1 January 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110101055856/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/06/19/2003475854 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=19 June 2010 |title=海外款未全匯回 扁續押兩個月 |trans-title=Chen Shui-bian to remain detained for two more months as overseas funds have not been fully repatriated. |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jun/19/today-p2.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100622234910/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jun/19/today-p2.htm |archive-date=22 June 2010 |work=Liberty Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jul/20/today-p8.htm | title = 扁再押三月 將提抗告 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121017234252/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jul/20/today-p8.htm | archive-date = 17 October 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.taipeitimes.com.tw/News/taiwan/archives/2010/07/20/2003478350 | title = High Court extends Chen detention by three more months | date = 20 July 2010 | work = Taipei Times | access-date = 17 August 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120325131132/http://www.taipeitimes.com.tw/News/taiwan/archives/2010/07/20/2003478350 | archive-date = 25 March 2012 }}</ref> The detention led Chen's supporters to protest that the detention of Chen for more than 600 days without proving him guilty{{Clarify|date=November 2010}} was illegal, inhumane and unjust, and a result of political revenge by the part of the [[Kuomintang]] ([[KMT]]).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/apr/8/today-p7.htm | title = 民進黨籲停押扁 改革羈押制度 | date = 8 April 2010 | work = Liberty Times | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100412003338/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/apr/8/today-p7.htm | archive-date = 12 April 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=29 June 2009 |title=馬上司法辦綠不辦藍，馬英九哈佛的老師孔傑榮呼籲台灣司法界知道〈公益與私利〉，蔡英文聲明：落實司法人權，並停止羈押陳前總統 |trans-title=--- Immediately, the justice system is prosecuting green but not blue. Jerome Cohen, Ma Ying-jeou's Harvard professor, calls on Taiwan's judiciary to understand "public and private interests." Tsai Ing-wen states: implement judicial human rights and cease the detention of former President Chen. |url=http://blog.udn.com/chenglee/3088258 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703172924/http://blog.udn.com/chenglee/3088258 |archive-date=3 July 2009 |access-date=20 August 2010 |publisher=various sources}}</ref> The Yellow Ribbon Movement took to demonstration over alleged exploitation of justice and political revenge.<ref>{{cite web |date=13 July 2009 |title=全國繫黃絲帶 援扁司法人權 |trans-title=Nationwide yellow ribbon campaign to support Chen Shui-bian's judicial human rights. |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2009/new/jul/13/today-p1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921041030/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2009/new/jul/13/today-p1.htm |archive-date=21 September 2009 |work=Liberty Times}}</ref>

Meanwhile, on 17 August 2010, both the Taipei District Court and the High Court found ex-deputy military minister, Ke Cheng-Hen ({{lang|zh|柯承亨}}), not guilty of revealing non-military secrets to former president Chen Shui-Bian.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/aug/18/today-p9.htm | title = 柯承亨洩密案 無罪確定 | date = 18 August 2010 | work = Liberty Times | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100820162842/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/aug/18/today-p9.htm | archive-date = 20 August 2010 }}</ref>

The parliament with a KMT and [[pan-Blue coalition]] majority passed an amendment to the "preferential treatment for retired presidents and vice presidents act" ({{lang|zh|卸任總統副總統禮遇條例}}) on 19 August 2010.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 August 2010 |title=立院三讀／貪污一審有罪 扁禮遇金沒了 |trans-title=Legislature Passes Third Reading: Chen Shui-bian's courtesy allowance revoked if convicted of corruption in the first instance. |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/aug/20/today-p8.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822154855/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/aug/20/today-p8.htm |archive-date=22 August 2010 |work=Liberty Times}}</ref> Introduced by the KMT, the amendment stipulated that former presidents and vice presidents will be stripped of courtesy treatment, including their monthly allowance and annual expenses, if convicted by a court of grave offense(s), such as sedition and graft. The number of bodyguards assigned to former presidents and vice presidents who are convicted of corruption in a first trial will also be reduced. Former president Chen's son stated the act was created to target the now imprisoned former president.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.taipeitimes.com.tw/News/front/archives/2010/08/21/2003480956 | title = Chen Shui-bian's son slams KMT over amended act | date = 21 August 2010 | work = Taipei Times | access-date = 20 August 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120325131231/http://www.taipeitimes.com.tw/News/front/archives/2010/08/21/2003480956 | archive-date = 25 March 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=21 August 2010 |title=窮到只剩下阿扁 |trans-title=Only A-Bian is left in poverty. |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/aug/21/today-o8.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823070232/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/aug/21/today-o8.htm |archive-date=23 August 2010 |work=Liberty Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=24 August 2010 |title=扁禮遇被刪 本土社團批報復性條款 |trans-title=Chen Shui-bian's courtesy allowance cut, local groups criticize it as a retaliatory clause. |url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/aug/24/today-p11.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826011928/http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/aug/24/today-p11.htm |archive-date=26 August 2010 |work=Liberty Times}}</ref>

In July 2016, the United States Department of Justice announced it returned "approximately $1.5 million to Taiwan, the proceeds of the sale of a forfeited New York condominium and a Virginia residence that the United States alleged in its complaint were purchased with the proceeds of bribes." It also stated that Hong Kong and Swiss bank accounts, shell companies, and a St. Kitts and Nevis trust were used to launder the bribes that paid for the American properties. It was an inter-agency and international effort between the U.S. Justice Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, and Taiwan's Supreme Prosecutors Office's Special Investigations Division.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-07 |title=Office of Public Affairs {{!}} United States Returns $1.5 Million in Forfeited Proceeds from Sale of Property Purchased with Alleged Bribes Paid to Family of Former President of Taiwan {{!}} United States Department of Justice |url=https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/united-states-returns-15-million-forfeited-proceeds-sale-property-purchased-alleged-bribes |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=www.justice.gov |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:10.10 前總統陳水扁與蔡英文於中華民國113年國慶大會.jpg|thumb|Two former DPP presidents, Chen and [[Tsai Ing-wen]] attending the [[National Day of the Republic of China|113th Double Tenth Day]] in 2024.]]

===Health and medical parole===
{{Expand section|date=October 2012}}
In September 2012, Chen was admitted to Taoyuan General Hospital after complaints of having difficulty urinating, where it was concluded that he had suffered from a minor stroke. He was subsequently transferred to the [[Taipei Veterans General Hospital]] for further testing, where he was diagnosed with [[sleep apnea]], severe depression and other cognitive disorders. His symptoms included stuttering and memory loss.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Rich |title=A-bian transferred to hospital despite family's objections |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2012/09/22/2003543364 |access-date=7 November 2021 |work=[[Taipei Times]] |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107013101/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2012/09/22/2003543364 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wang |first1=Chris |title=Home care better for Chen: Veterans hospital chief |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2013/03/29/2003558261 |access-date=7 November 2021 |work=[[Taipei Times]] |date=29 March 2021 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107013103/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2013/03/29/2003558261 |url-status=live }}</ref> He attempted suicide on Sunday, 2 June 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/taiwan-s-jailed-former-president-chen-shui-bian-attempts-suicide-say-officials-374647 |title=Taiwan's jailed former president Chen Shui-bian attempts suicide, say officials |website=Ndtv.com |date=3 June 2013 |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-date=23 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023115822/http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/taiwan-s-jailed-former-president-chen-shui-bian-attempts-suicide-say-officials-374647 |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2015, Chen was released from prison on medical parole due to his ailing (but undiagnosed) condition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baroš |first=Milan |date=2023-01-25 |title=vic88 |url=https://vic88.io/ |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=vic88.io |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-06/former-taiwan-president-chen-shui-bian-on-medical-parole/6002650|title=Former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian released on medical parole|date=6 January 2015|work=ABC News|access-date=20 August 2018|language=en-AU|archive-date=15 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215091839/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-06/former-taiwan-president-chen-shui-bian-on-medical-parole/6002650|url-status=live}}</ref> His time spent under medical parole does not count toward his prison sentence.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chen Shui-bian released |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2015/01/06/2003608566 |work=[[Taipei Times]] |date=6 January 2015 |access-date=6 January 2015 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213951/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2015/01/06/2003608566 |url-status=live }}</ref>  Part of the terms of his medical parole stipulate that he cannot participate in public political discussions. In January 2021, he started a radio show of non-political nature. Some people called this issue out because Chen Shui-bian appeared to be in perfect health.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chen Shui-bian hosts first episode of new radio show |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/01/04/2003749913 |access-date=7 November 2021 |work=[[Taipei Times]] |date=4 January 2021 |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107011408/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/01/04/2003749913 |url-status=live }}</ref> Chen currently serves as the host of a radio program.

==Position on Taiwan's political status==
{{Taiwan independence movement}}
In 1999, the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] amended its charter to regard Taiwan as already independent as the ROC, and therefore it was unnecessary to declare independence. In his 2000 inauguration speech, Chen struck a more moderate tone and pledged to the [[Four Noes and One Without]]: that as long as the PRC did not intend to use military force against Taiwan, he would not declare independence, change the name of the country to "Republic of Taiwan", push for the inclusion of "special state-to-state relations" in the Constitution, or promote a referendum on independence. In addition, he pledged not to abolish the [[National Unification Council]]. However, in August 2002, frustrated by a lack of reciprocation from the PRC, he described the relationship as "one country on each side" and initiated a [[2004 Taiwanese cross-strait relations referendum|referendum]] on cross-strait relations in 2004, returning to a more confrontational stance.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mattlin |first1=Mikael |title=Same Content, Different Wrapping: Cross-Strait Policy Under DPP Rule |journal=China Perspectives |date=2004 |volume=2004 |issue=56 |doi=10.4000/chinaperspectives.436|doi-access=free }}</ref>

In a 2007 interview with the [[New York Times]], Chen reiterated the DPP stance that Taiwan was already independent.<ref>{{cite news |title=Complete Interview with President Chen Shui-bian |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/18/world/asia/19taiwan-web.html |website=[[New York Times]] |date=18 October 2007 |access-date=6 November 2021 |archive-date=6 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106040930/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/18/world/asia/19taiwan-web.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Post-presidency, Chen has expressed his wishes to one day visit the village in Fujian which his ancestors migrated from in the 18th century.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/03/31/taiwan.nukes/index.html |title=CNN.com – Taipei opposes nuclear solution – March 31, 2002 |website=CNN |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305092827/http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/03/31/taiwan.nukes/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/07/02/2003316835 |title=Make Taiwan your home: Chen |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=31 December 2016 |access-date=7 January 2017 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211535/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2006/07/02/2003316835 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2018, Chen, along with [[Lee Teng-hui]], expressed support for a [[Formosa Alliance]] plan to amend the referendum act to allow for a 2019 referendum on ''de jure'' independence, though neither goal was realized by the planned date.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shih |first1=Hsiu-chuan |title=Independence referendum launched, backed by former presidents |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/201802280006 |access-date=6 November 2021 |work=[[Central News Agency (Taiwan)]] |date=28 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808154801/https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/201802280006 |archive-date=8 August 2020}}</ref>

==Honours==
* {{Flag|Taiwan}}:
** [[File:Order of Brilliant Jade (Taiwan) - ribbon bar.gif|60px]] Grand Cordon of the [[Order of Brilliant Jade]] – (May 2001)

===Foreign===
*{{flag|Burkina Faso}}: 
**[[File:Burkina Faso Ordre national GC ribbon.svg|60px]] Grand Cross of the {{ill|Ordre de l'Étalon|fr|Ordre de l'Étalon}}, formerly National Order of Burkina Faso – (August 2000)
*{{Flag|Chad}}:
**[[File:Ordre_national_du_Tchad_-_Grand_Croix.svg|60px]] Grand Cross of the [[National Order of Chad]] – (August 2000)
*{{flag|Dominican Republic}}:
**[[File:DOM Order of Merit of Duarte, Sanchez and Mella ribbon.svg|60px]] Grand Cross with Gold Breast Star of the [[Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella]] – (March 2001) 
*{{flag|El Salvador}}:
**[[File:National Order of José Matias Delgado (El Salvador) - ribbon bar.gif|60px]] Grand Cross with Gold Star of the [[Order of José Matías Delgado|National Order of Doctor José Matías Delgado]] – (August 2004)
*{{Flag|Gambia}}:
**[[File:GAM Order of the Republic of the Gambia ribbon.svg|60px]] Commander of the [[Order of the Republic (Gambia)|Order of the Republic of The Gambia]]
*{{flag|Liberia}}:
**[[File:Order of the Pioneers of Liberia - ribbon bar.png|60px]] Grand Cordon of the [[Order of the Pioneers of Liberia]] – (March 2001)
*{{Flag|Malawi}}:
**[[File:Ord.LionMalawi.gif|60px]] Grand Commander of the [[Order of the Lion (Malawi)|Order of the Lion]] – (July 2002)
*{{flag|Panama}}:
**[[File:PAN_Order_of_Vasco_Nunez_de_Balboa_-_Grand_Cross_BAR.png|60px]] Extraordinary Grand Cross of the [[Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa]] – (July 2000)
*{{flag|Paraguay}}:
** [[File:National_Order_of_Merit_(Paraguay)_-_ribbon_bar.png|60px]] Grand Collar of the [[National Order of Merit (Paraguay)|National Order of Merit]] – (June 2001)

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Taiwan}}
* [[Politics of the Republic of China]]
* [[Justice Alliance faction]]
* [[Four Wants and One Without]]
* [[Four-Stage Theory of the Republic of China]]
{{Clear}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Chen Shui-bian}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwb29IMxxow Human Rights Action Center – Free Chen Shui-Bian video]
* [http://www.presidentchen.com/ Unofficial advocacy website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040411021758/http://presidentchen.com/ |date=11 April 2004 }}
* [https://archive.today/20070812183847/http://www.president.gov.tw/php-bin/docset/showenews.php4?_section=5&_rid=1684 Full text of Chen's 2004 Inaugural Speech]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080610022333/http://www.dpp.org.tw/ Official Democratic Progressive Party web site in Chinese]
* [http://philip.pristine.net/formosa/falick.html America and Taiwan, 1943–2004] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120143240/http://philip.pristine.net/formosa/falick.html |date=20 November 2008 }}
* [http://www.chinataiwan.org/english/News/NaT/200811/t20081112_778098.htm Chinataiwan.org, Key events in career]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130527141450/http://www.tibet.net/en/flash/2004/0504/images/chen.jpg Former President of Republic of China (Taiwan) Chen Shui Bian taking oath of office]
* [https://digital.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/corpus/ Corpus of Political Speeches] Free access to political speeches by Chen Shui-bian and other Chinese politicians, developed by Hong Kong Baptist University Library

{{S-start}}
{{S-off}}
{{S-bef|before =[[Huang Ta-chou]]}}
{{S-ttl|title  = [[Mayor of Taipei]]|years  = 1994–1998}}
{{S-aft|after  = [[Ma Ying-jeou]]|rows=2}}
{{S-break}}
{{S-bef|before = [[Lee Teng-hui]]}}
{{S-ttl|title  = [[President of the Republic of China]]|years  = 2000–2008}}
{{S-break}}
{{S-ppo}}
{{S-bef|before = [[Peng Ming-min]]}}
{{S-ttl|title  = [[Democratic Progressive Party|DPP]] nominee for President of the Republic of China|years=[[2000 Taiwanese presidential election|2000]], [[2004 Taiwanese presidential election|2004]]}}
{{S-aft|after  = [[Frank Hsieh]]}}
{{S-break}}
{{S-bef|before = [[Frank Hsieh]]}}
{{S-ttl|title  = [[Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party]]|years  = 2002–2004}}
{{S-aft|after  = [[Ker Chien-ming]]<br /><small>Acting</small>}}
{{S-break}}
{{S-bef|before = [[Chai Trong-rong]]<br /><small>Acting</small>}}
{{S-ttl|title  = Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party | years  = 2007–2008}}
{{S-aft|after  = [[Frank Hsieh]]<br /><small>Acting</small>}}
{{S-break}}
{{S-ach}}
{{S-bef|before = [[Asma Jahangir]]}}
{{S-ttl|title  = [[Prize For Freedom]]|years= 2001}}
{{S-aft|after  = [[Helen Suzman]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{2000 presidential election candidates, Republic of China}}
{{Presidents of the Republic of China}}
{{DPP Chairpersons}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Shui-Bian}}
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[[Category:21st-century memoirists]]
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