Happy 100th Birthday, Republic of China!

A century is time enough to turn adversity to joy, to bring forth an enduring bloom, to foresee a parade of miracles marching into the future.

Born in tribulation, the ROC knew nary a day of peace until the government relocated to Taiwan in 1949. Here, she has been blessed with Heaven's bounty and achieved indelible successes. The first of these was economic, soaring to the heights as one of Asia's Four Tigers. The next was the "quiet revolution" in politics, building the first ethnically Chinese democracy in history.

Now, this century-long train is roaring into the future with 23 million passengers aboard, its destination happiness, its objective creating a turning point in world peace. In recent years, the government has opened doors and taken bold steps towards the first glimmerings of cross-strait peace. Though Taiwan has formal diplomatic relations with just 20-some countries, our citizens can make visa-free visits (or the functional equivalent, visas on arrival) to 117 nations and territories, an achievement that many larger nations cannot match. This year, newlyweds will walk the red carpet hand-in-hand to board the centennial train while red-faced babies doze in nurseries. Today's happiness is no fleeting fancy, but an abiding joy that grows with each new generation!