ROBERT A. MANNING Special to The Japan Times KUALA LUMPUR A series of fascinating recent displays of democracy entrenching itself in East Asia imply an important critique of, and profound lessons for, U.S. foreign policy, making that question a central one. Yet with the notable exception of Taiwan's recent presidential elections, these political developments have gone largely unreported in the U.S.
Recent political events suggest that Asians are reaching Winston Churchill's conclusion: "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others."
It is difficult to overestimate the significance of the March presidential election victory of opposition leader Chen Shui-bian in Taiwan, the first peaceful transition of power in 5,000 years of Chinese history. But that landmark event sent shivers down the spines of politicians in Beijing. Perhaps no less than fears of an independent Taiwan, the unseating of the ruling KMT in Taiwan which was structured exactly like the Chinese Communist Party, and maintained similar political control for half a century was a disturbing precedent for Beijing's leadership, if an intriguing example to 1.2 billion Chinese. Yet Taiwan's election was only the most dramatic of a host of developments reshaping East Asia's political landscape. Consider just a sampling of recent events: