Taiwan and its Neighbors: Russia, China

Saturday, August 15, 2026, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Taiwanese may do well to revisit George Orwell's satiric allegory Animal Farm. In it, drawing upon his bitter past experience in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell depicts a scenario where over-worked farm animals rebel and take over a farm, only to have their revolution betrayed.

Key in this betrayal is how the “pigs” under their leader Napoleon gain power, and alter the “new commandments” to express how while “all animals are equal, some are more equal than others.”

What has this to do with Taiwan? Taiwanese citizens need look no further than their neighbors, Russia and China for application.

Each of these nations has a history of revolution and the changing of power. In each, the leaders have either willingly passed the torch or not. And so, while all said citizens may be considered equal, some prove “more equal than others.”

Begin with Russia, where Vladimir Putin is President. Putin had replaced the ailing President Boris Yeltsin in 1999 and was subsequently elected on his own in 2000. He then served two four year terms until 2008 and stepped down, but maintained power as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012.

Appropriate revisions to the Constitution followed and allowed Putin to serve two subsequent six-year presidential terms until 2024. And now with a new “reseting” of term limits, he is able to potentially retain the presidency until 2036 when he will be 83 years old. Putting this in simpler and more crass terms, Putin is “more equal than others” and has become the new “Tsar” of Russia.

Next, examine what has happened in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). There Xi Jinping first became General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2012 and then President of the PRC in 2013.

With subsequent changes, Xi has been able to not only extend his position as Party Chairman, but also make it possible that he can serve indefinitely as President. There also are no term limits to Xi being Party Chairman or President.

The PRC Constitution, which had been earlier revised to prevent any new extended reigns like that of Mao Zedong, has again been changed. Xi now has no term limits and can reign until his death. In crass terms again, Xi has become a new “Chinese Emperor.”

In both Russia and China, the previous goals and ideals of their revolutions have been lost. In true Animal Farm fashion, though “all party members are equal, some are proving to be more equal than others.”

Examine finally the democracy of Taiwan. There, Lee Teng-hui had served (1996 to 2000) as the first president to be democratically elected by the people. Lee had however already been president from 1987 when as Vice President he succeeded Chiang Ching-kuo upon Chiang’s death. Nonetheless, once the new Constitution determined that Taiwan’s president to be elected by the people Lee would serve one four year term (1996 to 2000) and then step down.

In the subsequent 2000 election, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Chen Shui-bian was elected by a slim margin due to a split in the ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vote. Chen was re-elected in 2004 to a second term as president.

Like Lee, Chen also stepped down. And although Chen would later serve time in jail for money laundering, he never tampered with the Constitution or tried to maintain his presidency.

Chen was followed by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Ma Ying-jeou elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. Ma also served two terms before stepping down.

Tsai Ing-wen brought the DPP back into power in 2016; she was re-elected in 2020 giving her a full two terms. When she stepped down, after managing a stable transition, current President Lai Ching-te began his term.

This is the remarkable contrast standing out in Taiwan. No president has tried to stay in power beyond the limits set by the Constitution. The KMT has given way to the DPP and the DPP in turn has respected the mandate of the people.

In short, Taiwan's democratic process, despite its quarrels, still reflects the original Orwell message published in 1946. No leader should be allowed to decide that he is more equal than others.

Lai will be eligible to run again in 2028 if the people judge his performance to deserve it. However, if he does not win, then as Taiwan has shown the world, he will step down. That is what counts.