The growing irrelevance of Chen Shui-bian

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian’s decision to scrap a re-unification council has no practical significance, but the symbolic significance is clear – Chen is fast making himself irrelevant. In fact, it is puzzling that he is pushing himself into irrelevance so fast. Taiwan’s best strategy was always “baochi xianzhuang” – status quo – and Chen is not doing it. It all increases the liklihood of the KMT taking over the presidency again in 2008, and the speech KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou gave in February makes it clear Ma is the intellectual superior of Chen by a considerable margin.