Wu Shu-chen
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Wu Shu-chen or Wu Shu-jen (Traditional Chinese: 吳淑珍) (born July 11, 1953) is the wife of Chen Shui-bian, the President of the Republic of China. She was born in Madou, Tainan County, to a wealthy doctor's family.
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[edit] Marriage
She studied at Madou High School and later attended National Chung Hsing University. During this time, she became better acquainted with her high school classmate Chen Shui-bian, whom she would later marry.
On February 20, 1975, she married Chen Shui-bian in Taipei. Chen Shui-bian's academic advisor at the time, professor Weng YueSheng, served as the marriage witness.
[edit] Accident
On November 18, 1985, while with her husband on a trip to thank supporters after he lost the Tainan County mayoral election, a built-from-scratch farm vehicle ran over her as many as six times, trying to murder her. The driver, Chang Jong Ts'ai (zh:張榮財), was a local labor known as a supporter of Chen by local people. At the time of the car accident, Chang was beaten by one of Chen's campaign staff. Due to the seriousness of the accident, Chang was also imprisoned for a month. Chen dropped the charge against him later and accepted Chang's apology.[1][2]
However, ever since that car accident, Chang has been mentioned by Chen and his supporters, directly or implied, with or without being named, as a thug possibly hired by the Kuomintang to commit a political assassination. Even as of today, there is some controversy as to who was responsible for this. This accident left her paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair.
[edit] Member of the Legislature
In 1986, Chen Shui-bian was imprisoned because of a document in the Formosa Magazine, in which he libelled the Kuomintang. Wu Shu-chen represented her husband in the election into the Republic of China's Legislative Yuan. She was elected as the seventh of eight of the available seats. When Chen Shui-bian left prison, he became a special assistant to her.
Upon leaving the Legislative Yuan, she decided to not run for public office again, and instead, focus on the role of being a politician's wife.
[edit] Controversies as the First Lady
Compared with Taiwanese first ladies of the past, she is a much more controversial figure. Her image in turn casts negative influences on the way some Taiwanese people view Chen Shui-bian. Two of the notable reasons for the controversy are: insider stock trade (from which she received disciplinary correction from the Control Yuan), and a dispute over her stock rights with SOGO department store.
[edit] Scandals
Her son in law, Chao Chien-ming was taken into custody by the Taipei District Attorney on charges of insider stock trading and embezzlement. He is expected to remain in custody until charges are filed. Chen Shui-bian's daughter, the wife of Chao Chien-ming wrote to the President (her own father) asking him to help free her husband. So far, the President has maintained that he will not interfere with the investigation. However, there are already allegations that President Chen restrained the police from acting immediately. Also, there are reports that evidence may have been moved to the President's residence, right before the police raided the Chao family's home in Taipei for evidence.
Other disputes also arise over her preferential treatment of Mrs. Luo, the help/ex-neighbor who pushes her wheelchair. Mrs. Luo allegedly took special allowances from government budget, sent military officers running her personal errands, and used her influence to make her husband board member of a state-owned enterprise.
[edit] Indictment
On November 3, 2006, the Taipei District Attorney indicted her for allegedly falsifying records of expenditures from the president's national security account. In light of her indictment, the opposition Pan-Blue Coalition parties have renewed calls to impeach Chen, and the Taiwan Solidarity Union, a party that is often aligned with Chen's Democratic Progressive Party, has indicated that this time it will support the impeachment.
She becomes the first sitting First Lady to face criminal charges since the foundation of the Republic of China in 1911.
