Chen battles worsening image 

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian is already grappling with an uncompromising China and a hostile, opposition-dominated parliament.

He is now under attack from a new quarter - a corruption investigation involving a close aide.
   
Analysts say if Chen fails to clear doubts raised by the probe, it could undermine his credibility and cost votes for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
   
The December 3 election for county and city magistrates can be considered a mid-term test for Chen, who is looking for a legacy before his second - and final - four-year term ends in 2008.
   
While it may be too early to declare him a lame duck, analysts say domestic politics may keep the president busy and leave him little time to chart the island's future course with its giant neighbour, China.
   
Beijing claims Taiwan as its own and says the self-ruled island must be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary.
   
It distrusts Chen's independence-leaning DPP and has been making overtures to the island's two main opposition parties, which favour closer ties with China.
   
Chen has won the last two presidential elections after five decades of rule by the Kuomintang, or the Nationalist party. But the DPP's support is falling, because of the corruption allegations and its inability to push policy through parliament.
   
"Public opinion clearly shows people are dissatisfied with the DPP," said Liao Dachi, who teaches political science at the National Sun Yat-sen University.
   
"If the situation continues, Chen will spend most of his time dealing with internal problems rather than pushing through his policy initiatives," Liao said.
   
A recent poll by the mass-circulation United Daily News, which is often critical of Chen's government, showed Chen's approval rating slumping to a record-low 25% versus 79% when he first took office in 2000.
   
Domestic woes
   
An investigation into the role of Chen's former deputy chief of staff, Chen Che-nan, in a snowballing scandal linked to the import of Thai labourers in a subway project has dealt a blow to Chen's image, prompting some DPP members to demand reforms.
   
Chen Che-nan denied the allegation and resigned from his job as presidential adviser. He is not related to the president.
   
Adding to the Taiwan leader's troubles, the chairman of China Steel Corporation, Lin Wen-yuan, who is also close to the president, resigned after coming under fire for taking a hefty stock bonus that lawmakers said was inappropriate for a state enterprise.
   
Members of the president's family have also come under criticism for receiving a free upgrade of their air tickets to first class during a recent flight.
   
"The rest of his term will not be smooth," said political analyst Hsu Yung-ming from the Academia Sinica.
   
"With his hands tied on the domestic front, any breakthrough on cross-Strait relations looks highly unlikely. Beijing also will not let Chen Shui-bian score any points."
   
Chen, who swept to power on an anti-corruption manifesto, swung into damage control mode this week.

In a three-hour interview with Sanlih Television, he promised there would be no cover-ups if any party or government official - including himself - was found guilty of corruption.
   
"The scandals have shaken the confidence of his supporters," said Emile Sheng, a political scientist at Soochow University.
   
"If the DPP fares poorly in the December elections, that's the end of Chen's presidency because he won't be able to get anything done," Sheng said.