With Taiwan, it took about 40 years to go from an authoritarian to a democratic society.

I am Taiwanese as well as Chinese.

I require every Taipei student to swim; if they can't pass the test they won't graduate. Why do I do that? Because I think that is very, very important integral part of their education.

It's very important for Taiwan to maintain its international contact.

Be honest. Be honest with yourself, be honest with, you know, your fellow politicians. This is a rare quality of politicians.

Many in Taiwan believe that Hu Jintao is much more sophisticated than his predecessors in understanding Taiwan. He represents a different generation of leaders, more pragmatic, less ideological.

With Taiwan, it took about 40 years to go from an authoritarian to a democratic society.