Imprisoned former President Chen Shui-bian of the Republic of China in-exile is confined to a small room and has few possessions. Presently at a government hospital in Taipei, while serving a lengthy sentence for alleged corruption, Chen keeps a copy of Incarcerated Taiwan at his bedside. The book, written by law professor Yuan Hong-bing, tells the story of Chen Shui-bing as a political prisoner. Chen is viewed as the victim of collusion between the Kuomintang in Taiwan and the Communist Party in China.

Yuan Hong-bing granted an interview at his Kainan University office, between classes, to discuss his books on Taiwan and Chen Shui-bian’s case.

Yuan Hong-bing says China is behind the prosecution of Chen Shui-bian

Photo credit:

Mary Loan

“No, Chen Shui-bian did not receive a fair trial. The whole legal process was maneuvered by the Communists.” Yuan said, “I explain all that in Incarcerated Taiwan. Since 2002, Red China has been carrying out a plot against Chen Shui-bian and Taiwan. In 2004, there was the so-called Red Army movement conducted by former members of the Democratic Progressive Party. In 2008, there was judicial persecution of President Chen Shui-bian. Red China is behind all that,” emphasized Yuan.

“Character assassination against Chen Shui-bian is part of the strategy. They try to push public opinion against President Chen. The simple reason is that Chen Shui-bian is the number one figure in the Taiwanese independence movement with his political background,” said Yuan.

“From the legal end, Chen Shui-bian never received a just trial. The theory of democracy in Taiwan has never been fully implemented,” explained Yuan.

“Under the Kuomintang, Chen has not been judged fairly. Although Chen Shui-bian was the president, the whole legal system personnel still belonged to Chiang Kai shek’s regime, under the so-called party-state system,” said Yuan.

“The legal process is stuck in the old Chiang Kai-shek regime style. The trial of Chen Shui-bian was not part of the normal legal procedure. The sentence of Chen Shui-bian violates justice. The sentence was to be innocent with no more legal process. The procedure was unreasonable."

“Also the pretrial detention of Chen was wrong. He is in a narrow cell, he eats without a table and writes on the floor,” complained Yuan.

“Chen Shui-bian is the victim of administrative and judicial persecution. In Incarcerated Taiwan I prove that Chen Shui-bian is the most persecuted character in the history of the Republic of China. Up to now President Chen is innocent. There has not been any evidence showing a crime. If there is no direct evidence, it proves Chen Shui-bian is innocent.” Yuan said, “Chen is a symbol of Taiwan in crisis.”

“The bullying of Chen shows the imprint and tactics of Red China.”

Yuan warned, “The very human nature of our society pays no attention to President Chen’s affairs going forward, even though that may involve the whole collapse…a human disaster."

“In 2002, the Chinese said that Taiwan is an indispensable part of China. They began a plan to push Taiwan into a victory for China. To carry out the plan a United Front total effort is made. Economic integration and political integration can be expected for the next three and-a-half years,” said Yaun.

“The first step was to push Ma Ying-jeou to sign so-called peaceful agreements. But they have to try to silence Taiwan independence. The judicial persecution of Chen Shui-bian is a sign that Taiwan’s independence movement should be extinguished. It is outlined in my book which is based on classified information,” asserted Yuan.

Yuan said, “I left China and went to Australia for asylum. When I was at Peking University I had many friends with high-ranking positions with the government leadership. Many high-ranking Chinese Communist Party members, persecuted by the leading power, would give me many secret documents. I had easy access to documents.”

Yuan closed the interview with a message to Americans: “America’s strategy has been made on a wrongful decision. The USSR is no longer the rival target. Now it is international terrorism. No matter how many terrorists there are they won’t do much harm to America, but China remains a danger.”

“Obama and Hu Jintao tried to ally America with China. The American people and the news media say that America is the leader of the free world but they don’t account for the danger. They don’t realize China is a political tragedy embarrassed by competition,” said Yuan.