To demonstrate the harmonious nature of their relationship, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday violated long-standing security procedures and traveled together in northern Taiwan.
In an apparent effort to help quash rumors that communications between the president and the vice president are poor, Chen and Lu frequently expressed their respects to each other and displayed how smoothly they interact during the event, which included a visit to an industrial park and a soon-to-be-opened electricity generating facility which will use liquid natural gas.
Arranged by the vice president's office, Chen and Lu yesterday chartered a car for the country trip, during which they attended a ritual at Yimin Temple in Hsinchu County and inspected facilities in Taoyuan County, where Lu was once county commissioner.
Lu explained to Chen how the achievements had been accomplished under her administration and Chen responded with approval by praising her efforts.
"If we have the time, we often exchange views in the evening at the Presidential Office," Lu told the media after the inspection activities.
When reporters asked whether the trip showed that a future "Chen-Lu ticket" for 2004 was in the offing, Lu said that it certainly indicated that there would be a "Chen-Lu ticket" until May 19, 2004.
Accompanying Lu, the president first attended a ritual at Yimin Temple in Hsinpu, Hsinchu County, in memory of the Hakka Yimin militia men.
The ritual was part of the annual Yimin Festival, which highlights the Hakka spirit and cultural heritage.
In the past, Hakka residents in the northern Taiwan counties of Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli celebrated the festival.
This year, however, the Cabinet-level Council for Hakka Affairs expanded the festival into a national Hakka Cultural Festival.
They later visited the Kuantan Industrial Park and the nearby Taiwan Power Co's Tatan Power Plant (
Lu recently pulled off a diplomatic coup by making a surprise trip to Indonesia.
During the trip, she was initially denied access to Jakarta, flew to Bali Island for two days for touring and then returned to Jakarta to meet Indonesian government heavyweights.
Lu told the media after the trip that the reason Indonesia ultimately welcomed her was because China had rejected a deal to buy Indonesian liquid natural gas -- US$400 billion of which Taipei may be interested in purchasing, recent news reports and Lu's comments indicate.
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