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Chen reiterates desire to attend APEC meet

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday reiterated his desire to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Busan, South Korea, and added that he hoped South Korea could help, praising its diplomatic and political wisdom on the issue.

While receiving Lee Han-dong (李漢東), former prime minister of South Korea, yesterday at the Presidential Office, Chen said he would like to attend the APEC forum in November to meet with leaders of other member states, including South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun (盧武鉉).

Chen said Taiwan also still wants to express its appreciation to South Korea for the friendly diplomatic strategies it employed in 1991, which enabled Taiwan, China and Hong Kong to join APEC at the same time.

"I hope South Korea, the host country of the APEC forum this year, maintains its original intention to adopt agile diplomatic strategies and political wisdom to support Taiwan," Chen said.

He expressed his appreciation for Lee's longstanding goodwill toward Taiwan.

Lee was South Korea's prime minister from 2000 to 2002. Prior to that, he was a member of parliament for more than two decades.

Lee, who attended the inauguration of the Democratic Pacific Union (DPU) earlier this week, said he hoped the organization's three core values -- democracy, peace and prosperity -- would become deeply rooted in Asia.

"I will do my best to further promote bilateral relations between Taiwan and South Korea, especially in the sectors of economic development and trade," Lee said.

Chen said that relations between Taiwan and South Korea had been strengthened recently by the re-opening of air links, allowing visa-free visits and the establishment of a new Taiwan office in Busan.

Last year, bilateral trade was valued at a record high of US$16.9 billion.

Tourist visits also reached a high, with 320,000 Taiwanese traveling to South Korea.
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