President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that Taiwan has consistently attached great importance to its relations with the US and that he will work even harder during his second four-year term to further boost bilateral ties.
Chen made the remarks while meeting with Judy Martz, governor of the US state of Montana, who is heading a delegation of Montana officials on a trade promotion visit.
"We treasure our relations with the US. In the next four years, we'll make continued efforts to further upgrade Taiwan-US relations," Chen told his guest.
He also said his administration will make communications channels with US authorities smoother than heretofore.
"In the coming four years, I will focus on promoting economic development and political reforms. In any event, we hope that Taiwan's success story will be an asset, rather than a liability, for the US," Chen said.
For her part, Martz congratulated Chen on his re-election and invited Chen to visit Montana in the near future.
Martz, an accomplished ice skater, was previously Montana's first female lieutenant governor and then was elected as the state's first female governor. Chen lauded Martz for her achievements in creating jobs, promoting educational reforms and controlling budget deficits during her tenure.
Chen said Montana has maintained cordial relations with Taiwan. He expressed his gratitude for the passage of resolutions by the Montana State Senate and State House of Representatives last year in support of Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Organization.
Montana has maintained a representative office in Taipei since the early 1980s. A Taiwan trade delegation signed a preliminary agreement on the procurement of wheat from Montana during its visit to the US state last year.
"All these point to close trade ties between Taiwan and Montana," Chen said, adding that Martz' visit will contribute to further growth in Taiwan-Montana trade and economic cooperation.
New Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (
Mark Chen, a US-trained physicist-turned-politician, worked for the US federal government for many years before he returned to Taiwan in the early 1990s. Chen Shui-bian said Mark Chen's appointment shows Taiwan's determination to further improve its relations with the US.
Douglas Paal, director of the American Institute in Taiwan's Taipei office, was also present at Chen Shui-bian's meeting with Martz.
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