In response to questions about what he intends to accomplish during his last year in office, Chen said he would dedicate his remaining term to strengthening Taiwan-centered consciousness and helping efforts to join the UN and the WHO under the name "Taiwan" in line with the US' Taiwan Relations Act, which recognizes Taiwan as a country and therefore makes it completely legitimate for Taiwan to join international organizations.
HE said that using the name "Taiwan" to join international organizations did not violate the "four noes" pledge he made in 2000 nor was it equivalent to changing the name of the country.
The "four noes" refer to the pledge Chen made as part of his first inaugural speech, where he promised that as long as China did not use military force against Taiwan, he would not declare independence, change the national title, enshrine the "state-to-state" model of cross-strait relations in the Constitution, or endorse a referendum on formal independence.
Asked by media about any piece of advice he would like to share with his successor, Chen said that US President George W. Bush would not have signed the arms procurement package for Taiwan in 2001 without his "four noes" pledge, adding that he had worked hard during his presidency to ensure stability in the Strait.
Chen said he was sure his successor would understand the importance of US-Taiwan relations.
Asked about his plans after his term ends, Chen said he would heed the advice former US president Bill Clinton had given him: avoid criticizing your successor and refrain from giving him or her instructions.
additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan and AFP
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