Vice President Annette Lu (
On her first visit to New York as vice president, Lu will receive the same welcome during her three-day stopover as that enjoyed by President Chen Shui-bian (
Lu voiced gratitude to the US government, which "nearly met my every request on the itinerary arrangement of the trip. In principle, the courtesy treatment [to be extended to me] is the same as that extended to President Chen."
Although barred by the US government from attending any official meetings, Lu will meet with US congressmen, members from think tanks and Taiwanese business leaders.
Besides meetings with political and business representatives, Lu is scheduled to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and "Ground Zero," the remains of the World Trade Center destroyed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Lu said she will donate US$50,000 collected from non-governmental organizations from Taiwan to relief organizations.
But, "the primary objective [of our delegation] for the stopover in the US is trying to attract foreign capital and talent, which are badly needed for numerous development projects," Lu said at the CKS International Airport prior to her departure.
Lu said she had plenty of information for the international business community, introducing the government's plan to transform Taiwan into a global logistics center and developing it into a technologically advanced nation dubbed the "Green Silicon Island."
After Taiwan's admission to the WTO, The vice president said she would seize the chance to explain to the US the new pivotal role Taiwan will be playing.
Another main point on Lu's list is trying to convince Taiwan-born talent to return to work in their motherland.
Given the number of Taiwan-born graduates now working in high-tech industries in the US and elsewhere, Lu said that she would try to persuade this talent to return to work in Taiwan.
"We hope to woo multi-national enterprises and special talent to Taiwan as the government is launching several major national development projects" covering biology and telecommunications as well as shipping and aviation, she said.
Tomorrow Lu is due to leave for Nicaragua to attend the presidential inauguration of Enrique Bolanos on behalf of Chen. She will be accompanied by Eugene Chien (簡又新), deputy secretary-general of the Presidential Office, and Lan Chih-min (藍智民), vice foreign minister.
From Nicaragua, the vice president will fly to Paraguay for an official three-day visit, and returning from Latin America is scheduled to spend two days in Los Angeles.
The delegation is to return on Jan. 19.
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