President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that the great Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi has always been a role model for him and that the goal of his administration is to govern with humility and pursue harmony and cooperation between political parties.
Chen made the remarks in the latest installment of his weekly A-bian E-newsletter which was published yesterday.
Chen's comments came in response to a letter from a reader named C.W. Tsai, who e-mailed him Gandhi's list of the "Seven Blunders of the World."
According to Gandhi's list, the things that will destroy us are "politics without principle, pleasure without conscience, wealth without work, knowledge without character, business without morality, science without humanity and worship without sacrifice."
Referencing Gandhi's list, Tsai said he hoped Chen would strive to transcend political bipartisanship and work to enhance Taiwan's national competitiveness.
"I have come to understand the philosophy that says that by being humble and seeking harmony, there can be co-existence,'" Chen wrote, adding, "For the sake of its 23 million people, Taiwan must united."
He said his administration would govern with humbleness and modesty and that its effort to pursue harmony between the ruling and opposition parties would not change, as well as attempts to safeguard cross-strait peace and stability.
He said the government has set a goal of achieving 5 percent economic growth and reducing unemployment to 4 percent in order to boost national competitiveness.
Chen's remarks follow his calls for political reconciliation and negotiation.
Mohandas Gandhi was one of the most respected political leaders of the 20th century.
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