"Our nation wants mature, democratic politics. While both Soong and I have ideals that we will never abandon, we want to help the Taiwanese people find the room and time to live their lives," Soong said.
Prior to yesterday's meeting, Chen and Soong exchanged gifts as a token of goodwill toward each other.
The president presented the PFP chairman with a work of calligraphy, which featured the Chinese characters "sincerity" (真誠). The work was done by 103-year-old calligraphy master Chen Yun-chen (陳雲程).
"The word `sincerity' represents A-bian's spirit in today's meeting as well as the cornerstone for future bilateral cooperation," Chen said, referring to himself in the third person.
"In Taiwan's present political atmosphere, confrontation often appears easier than reconciliation. This is precisely why [yesterday's] meeting between myself and Chairman Soong is necessary," Chen said.
Following two bitterly-fought elections last year, the people of Taiwan are weary and in dire need of rest, while the nation is in dire need of unity and stability, Chen said.
Working Together
"While politicians can choose between reconciling or fighting each other, from the perspective of the country and its people, reconciliation is the only road to take," the president added.
For his part, Soong gave Chen a glass work which featured a snail on a green bamboo shoot.
"The crawling snail symbolizes Taiwan's democratization. True democracy takes time to be achieved, like a snail crawling toward a beautiful garden," the PFP chairman said.
Soong described the summit between himself, a Mainlander who emigrated from China in the late 1940s, and Chen, a native of Taiwan, "as a prime example of efforts to heal Taiwan's ethnic divisions."
Soong also stated that he attached importance to the meeting with Chen and expected that they will both be sincere and honest, not only during the meeting, but also on policies concerning the people's interests and livelihood.
After the meeting yesterday, Presidential Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun said he would attempt get in touch with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) again to arrange a meeting between Chen and the KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰).
Also yesterday, unhappy with the Chen-Soong meeting, a group of pan-blue supporters protested outside the gates of the Taipei Guest House.
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