The recent passing of human rights lawyer and former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator-at-large candidate Chen Chun-han (陳俊翰) has sparked widespread grief across political parties and throughout Taiwan.
After the official announcement of Chen’s death, the DPP, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) all vowed to carry on his legacy of protecting the rights of people with disabilities.
Living with spinal muscular atrophy, Chen was paralyzed from the neck down for the majority of his life. Despite the adversity, his lifelong advocacy for the availability of advanced medications had successfully attracted attention from society and raised awareness.
He became renowned as the “Taiwanese Extraordinary Attorney,” a name inspired by the South Korean TV series Extraordinary Attorney Woo, due to his unrelenting efforts.
The appearance of Chen’s name on the DPP’s list of legislator-at-large candidates in November last year triggered a wide discussion. Many people afflicted with rare diseases were optimistic that his presence in the Legislative Yuan would allow their voices to be heard and enhance the overall medical situation of the country.
Chen hoped to legislate for the construction of a more exhaustive medical insurance system for these patients, contending that the government needs to thoroughly revise the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act (身心障礙者權益保障法). Unfortunately, Chen failed to enter the legislature to push for the necessary reforms.
Lawyer Chen’s dedication to advocating for better medical treatments was indeed impressive, which made some wonder why he decided to return to Taiwan when he could have been a well-paid lawyer in the US.
In response, he said that while he could have enjoyed adequate medical insurance coverage for his disease in the US, he aspired to improve the lives of more patients in similar circumstances by making use of the knowledge he had acquired abroad.
His altruistic character has ignited the hope of countless patients and prompted cross-party politicians to collaboratively propose relevant bills to fulfill the needs of these people.
The DPP, KMT and TPP immediately offered condolences to Chen’s family upon the announcement of his death on Feb. 15. The KMT lauded Chen’s ability to overcome his illness to obtain a double major in accounting and law, while the TPP highlighted its respect for his determination to fight for the rights of the disabled. Both parties also promised to foster social equality that will genuinely transcend physical differences.
Chen’s endeavors are widely acknowledged, but most people overlook the significant contribution of his mother, who had always been an unsung hero behind the scenes.
Since his diagnosis at the age of one, she had been by his side and taken exceptional care of his health in spite of his severe physical limitations. In appreciation of her unconditional love, Chen once said that he would not have topped his bar examination and been able to explore the world without her unwavering assistance.
Chen’s mother and her tenacity undoubtedly deserves more recognition for her son’s accomplishments.
Chen was truly a selfless warrior who managed to transform his weaknesses into incredible strength. With his constant perseverance and the infinite support of his mother, they have proven that it is possible to attain goals that seem beyond our capabilities. Hopefully, in this new legislative term, the three parties could set aside their differences and strive to collectively actualize his unfinished dream.
Tshua Siu-ui is a Taiwanese student studying international relations and politics in Norwich, England.
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
US President Trump weighed into the state of America’s semiconductor manufacturing when he declared, “They [Taiwan] stole it from us. They took it from us, and I don’t blame them. I give them credit.” At a prior White House event President Trump hosted TSMC chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), head of the world’s largest and most advanced chip manufacturer, to announce a commitment to invest US$100 billion in America. The president then shifted his previously critical rhetoric on Taiwan and put off tariffs on its chips. Now we learn that the Trump Administration is conducting a “trade investigation” on semiconductors which
By now, most of Taiwan has heard Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an’s (蔣萬安) threats to initiate a vote of no confidence against the Cabinet. His rationale is that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government’s investigation into alleged signature forgery in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) recall campaign constitutes “political persecution.” I sincerely hope he goes through with it. The opposition currently holds a majority in the Legislative Yuan, so the initiation of a no-confidence motion and its passage should be entirely within reach. If Chiang truly believes that the government is overreaching, abusing its power and targeting political opponents — then