Chen Yunlin, chairman of China's semi-official Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), was invited by his Taiwanese counterpart P.K. Chiang of the Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF) to ink four agreements on cross-strait economic cooperation.

Chen was dogged by pro-independence activists mobilized by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to protest his historic visit.

DPP chairwoman, Tsai Ing-wen, had promised the police to stage "peaceful and rational" protests.

It would have been a good thing if the protests, dubbed "Operation Siege" by opposition organizers, was indeed peaceful and rational as promised. Unfortunately, it turned violent and bloody as the protest eventually spiraled out of control.

More than 100 people, mostly law-enforcement officers, were injured Wednesday night by rock-throwing protesters attempting to break down police barricades outside Taipei's Grand Hotel in Yuanshan district, where Chen and his 60-member delegation were staying during their 4-day visit.

For five days in a row, Taiwan's news newspapers and television screens were dominated by stories and images about violent clashes between demonstrators and police. Chen was under siege, unable to go to the central and southern parts of Taiwan which he had been longing to see.

Operation Siege, therefore, was literally a success. However, if its organizers thought it was a victory, they were wrong. It was a pyrrhic victory at best, judging from the high political cost.

A police officer at the scene, who was hit by a flying rock, said he was saddened to see the nation torn apart by politicians and he hated to see "democracy in retreat." A survey by The China Times showed that 59 percent of the respondents did not support the protest.

When demonstrators hurled Molotov cocktails and stones at police in defiance of the law, it was democracy under attack. Yes, it was democracy in retreat. It was the siege of democracy.

Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen blamed the Ma Ying-jeou administration for the bloody incident because of "government suppression" of free expression. She insisted that the protest was peaceful and rational.The opposition camp led by Tsai demanded that President Ma apologize for using excessive police force to disperse the demonstrators who laid siege to the Grant Hotel. They also accused Ma of "selling out Taiwan" for getting economic benefits at the cost of sovereignty. Ma blamed Tsai for breaking her promise that he said triggered the bloody clashes.

These charges and counter-charges are evidence of a nation torn apart by political ideology, national identity, and ethnic differences. More than a decade since Taiwan held its first presidential election in 1996, the island's democracy has been backtracking, not moving forward.

Violence is returning to the streets and the legislative floor, as the DPP is vowing to escalate the battle against the ruling Kuomintang which is in firm control of both the executive and legislative branches of government.

The development is especially worrisome as Taiwan's survival and development depend on domestic unity and the consolidation of democracy. Taiwan cannot afford to be divided along party and ethnic lines. "Opposition for the sake of opposition" is partisan politics that should be avoided by politicians of all stripes in favor of political unity.

Democracy is Taiwan's most precious asset which should be cherished and protected by all means. Last week's violent protests gave democracy a bad name. People on the mainland would wonder whether democracy is good for them if it means lawlessness and free for all.

Now the chaotic and bloody confrontation was over, but the murmurs of the injured police officer worrying about a nation torn apart and democracy in retreat were ringing in my ears. Taiwan won't have a future if the two compelling issues were not resolved.

Perhaps we should look eastward to the United States. On November 5, America woke up to a new world. From a nightmare of a nation torn apart and democracy in retreat, Barack Obama, the first black presidential candidate won the election and made America a proud nation again overnight by demonstrating the strength of democracy.

It is the strength of democracy that makes America strong and respected. All of a sudden, the billions of people on this planet who had loathed America a week ago are looking up to the country in awe.

Obama's call for national unity and his promise to end poisonous partisanship give hope to millions of Americans for a national revival after eight disastrous years under President George W. Bush. If we look east, we'd learn two lessons: democracy brooks no retreat, and a divided house cannot stand.

Perhaps there is more, especially for our political leaders like President Ma and Chairman Tsai: Obama treats his rivals as friends, not enemies.