Taiwan's Little Big Man

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Then Chen addresses the small crowd under the canopy, straining to find that memorable tone, his voice modulating through tenor registers as he praises the community for pulling together. He has done a hundred of these stump speeches, dedicating elementary schools, christening buildings, opening military bases. What he is saying is by now rote, the usual praise for Taiwan and the spirit of its people. The people seem to be listening, but they sit on their hands. Then it starts raining, and Chen's words are lost in the patter of drops on the canopy roof.

--With reporting by Matthew Forney/Beijing, Barry Hillenbrand/Washington and Don Shapiro and Jennifer Wang/Taipei