President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday vowed that Taiwan will devote itself to integrate with all democratic nations in the Asia-Pacific region in order to establish a "Democratic Pacific Union" to ensure regional security as well as to democratize non-democratic countries.
"I sincerely pledge to all partners on the democratic Pacific rim that Taiwan will carry out its duty to the international community by performing in a most positive way," Chen said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of the Democratic Pacific Assembly (DPA).
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
The assembly, being held in Taipei from yesterday until tomorrow, is to form an alliance to unite Pacific-rim democratic countries. More than 100 delegates from 24 countries, including one head of state, four vice presidents and a Nobel laureate, were invited to discuss the issue.
Chen stressed that Taiwan, which occupies a strategic position in the western Pacific, should serve in a more constructive role to shoulder the responsibilities of promoting regional peace, security, progress and prosperity.
"If we analogize the whole pan Pacific community as a `ship,' then Taiwan is like the `anchor' of this ship stabilizing navigation," Chen said.
"And Taiwan will connect to all democratic nations in the region on the basis of ocean culture to jointly construct a cooperative mechanism and dialogue platform for enhancing communication to create a new civilization in the 21st century," he said.
He stressed that Taiwan is confident it can unite with all democratic partners to organize the "Democratic Pacific Union" and march on the path of democracy, peace and prosperity.
Vice President Annette Lu (
"Taiwan's miracles have not only brought its people democracy and prosperity, but have also made an enormous contribution to the international community," Lu said.
"If Taiwan had not been here to resist Chinese communism for the past 50 years, Asia might have fallen completely under communist rule. And because 14 neighbors of the US in the Caribbean and Central America have chosen to be Taiwan's allies and reject the communist Chinese regime, the world superpower -- the US -- has been saved from trouble at home.
"It was not just the US that came to Taiwan's defense, but Taiwan was also helping defend the free world," she said.
Former US congressman Benjamin Gilman, who serves as the assembly's co-chairman with Lu, encouraged all democratic nations in the Asia-Pacific region to move China toward liberalization and the rule of law.
"China is an autocratic country, everyone knows the facts," Gilman said during his speech.
"However, Taiwan must completely understand its real situation, which is totally different than those of Japan and Korea," Gilman said.
He also suggested that due to a lack of a joint strategy and communicating mechanism, the whole Asia-Pacific region should use the assembly to found a great alliance on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation.
The three-day assembly is scheduled to discuss four main themes: Democratic development, ocean development, human security and economic development.
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