Taiwan is a fascinating story of the rise of some 23 million people populated over 36,000 sq. km. It has posed a hugely complex issue and situation. It is the fifth largest economy in Asia and has the third largest foreign exchange reserve. It can pride itself for possessing perhaps the largest computer hardware industry. In some ways it is a world player. Yet it is struggling with the question of identity. It would like to remain as it is but what that it is remains an open but most contentious issue. To me the fascinating part is not just its economic rise but its simultaneous bursting forth as a robust democracy, often noisy and chaotic.

Economic development began under authoritarian aegis and governmental guidance as Taiwan became one of the Asian tigers, but economic growth broke down the authoritarian structure. The spread of democracy within a highly developed economy surprised the world. Sometimes a single spark sets the prairie on fire, if I may borrow Mao's phrase in a different context. This spark in Taiwan was the Chungli incident in November 1977. The election of county magistrates and city mayors was taking place. There were widespread rumours of elections being rigged. The situation snapped in one of the counties – Taoyuan, I believe. Angry people in Chungli, encircled the police station and burnt it down. That became the catalyst for the dawn of democracy and from then on the democratic movement was on an unstoppable course.