Tense change in Taiwan

Guards practising for the ceremony on Saturday

By Damian Grammaticas in Taiwan

The flags are out in Taipei.

The city's central boulevards are decked in long lines of them, red and blue, flapping in the gusts thrown up by the passing traffic.

Limousines carrying dignitaries carve their way through the rush hour, and there is an official banquet for the gaggle of foreign media who are in town.

In any other place this would be a state occasion.

But Taiwan is not a state in its own right, rather it is a disputed island, living in the shadow of its huge neighbour China.

It means the dignitaries are not quite as high profile as you might expect for the swearing in of a new president, the event a little more muted.

His brand merchandising is big business

For those who live on the island though it is still a landmark, something they say they are proud to celebrate.

The inauguration of Chen Shui-bian as president marks the first time in Taiwan's history that power has passed democratically from the ruling Kuomintang party to another.

A-bian, as he is affectionately known, has become something of a superstar to his supporters.

It will be what we call boiling a frog in a wok slowly

Dr Tim Ting from pollsters, Gallup Taiwan

He is described as a normal guy, from a poor background, long a political outsider, who has made it to be president.

The family business, which sells everything from bags and clothes to pillows and stationery, stamped with A-bian's image, has seen sales rocket.

In Taipei the more internationally famous Hello Kitty range of goods has stiff competition from A-bian, and it is even rumoured there is a black market, with special inauguration items trading at three times their shop prices.

At the Jen Ai Municipal Junior High School in Taiwan, the pupils told me they are proud they have a democratically-elected president.

His wife says he is no romantic

"Now we want more room to develop in the international community" says 15-year-old Jennie Chan.

But her classmate Peter Siu has his fears.

"I don't like Chen Shui-bian as his stand on independence may make our relationship with mainland China become very difficult," he said.

And that is the fear in Taiwan.

Everyone is wondering how will China react to their new leader, will there be a new crisis, a confrontation across the Taiwan Strait?

"It won't be a major crisis," Dr Tim Ting of pollsters, Gallup Taiwan tells me, "instead it will be what we call boiling a frog in a wok slowly. China will turn up the temperature and Chen Shui-bian won't even know he's being cooked."

The ceremony

The new first lady told a local paper that A-bian "never speaks of romantic things. He failed to meet my requirements for an ideal husband, who should be humourous and handsome".

"But he is very patient, so patient that he is able to stand my bad temper."

He may just need that patience as China turns up the heat in the coming months.