President Chen has a solid record as a human rights activist and was the political leader of the first democratic party of Taiwan, the Progressive Democratic Party (DPP). After being elected President in April 2000 he resigned as leader of the DPP.

In February 1980 Mr Chen was invited to join the team of defense attorneys for the arrested activists in the ‘Kaohsiung incident’. The Kaohsiung incident of December 1979 galvanized the Taiwanese on the island and overseas into political action. The opposition started to question the Kuomintang’s claim to represent all of China and Taiwan as a part of China, and they began to work towards an end to 40 years of martial law. This mass demonstration resulted in the arrest of many activists. During the military trials defending Mr. Huang Hsin-chie, Mr. Chen began to dedicate himself to politics.

With his advocacy for freedom, human rights and democracy for the people of Taiwan he became increasingly involved with the opposition. In 1984 he became an executive member of the newly established Taiwan Association for Human rights. In 1990 he joined 26 other legislators in challenging the constitution, which led to comprehensive elections of all parliamentary bodies. In December 1994 he became the first elected Taipei mayor. In March 2000 he was elected as the President of Taiwan. President Chen stated that both sides of the Taiwan Strait should uphold the principles of ‘Goodwill, Reconciliation, Active Cooperation and Permanent Peace’ thereby striving for normalisation of the relationship between mainland China and Taiwan. Chen has given high priority to this dialogue with Mainland China in his political agenda, without compromising Taiwan’s democratic achievements in a search for a new framework for lasting peace and political integration.

At the annual European Liberal Democratic and Reform (ELDR) Party Congress convening from September 26-28th 2001 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, a resolution was adopted that calls on the European Union and its Member States to adopt the rule that without exception Taiwanese officials travelling in their private capacity will not be denied visa given that they have been democratically elected or appointed according to the constitution of their country.

As the European Union does not allow visits of top Taiwanese officials to its territory, the Prize was presented to the First Lady at a ceremony in the European Parliament in Strasborug on 14 November 2001.

Main Image: 中華民國總統府, WikimediaCommons