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Lu says Chen will always be the `dragon king' to her
TRANSIT DIPLOMACY:
Playing on the name of the latest typhoon to hit Taiwan, the vice president lauded the president's transit stops in the Middle East and Indonesia
BY SHIH HSIU-CHUAN
STAFF REPORTER
Monday, Oct 03, 2005, Page 3
Calling President Chen Shui-bian (³¯¤ô«ó) the "real Longwang," or dragon king, Vice President Annette Lu (§f¨q½¬) yesterday praised him for successful transit diplomacy after his plane was forced to make a stop in Bali because of a typhoon.
Lu made the remarks while inspecting the Central Disaster Emergency Operation Center for a briefing on damage caused by typhoon Longwang.
In Chinese, Longwang means dragon king, a fictitious animal with magic power according to Chinese mythology.
"President Chen's transit stop in Bali is a successful breakthrough in diplomacy. I am looking forward to `real Longwang's' safe return to tell us the details," Lu said.
Lu added that the diplomatic breakthrough was because of the typhoon, as well as the aid Taiwan provided to Indonesia after the tsunami disaster.
Lu, who in August 2002 attempted to make an unpublicized visit to Indonesia's capital Jakarta, was also forced to land in Bali after the plan was leaked by the press and her entry into Jakarta was temporarily blocked by the Chinese government.
While Lu finally reached the capital city by making a detour, her visit created tensions between Indonesia and Taiwan.
In December 2002, when Chen's planned visit to Indonesia was revealed by the press, the Indonesian government immediately released a statement saying it would never welcome a visit from Taiwan's president.
Premier Frank Hsieh (Áªø§Ê) praised Chen for his courage in visiting Bali.
Chen arrived the day after the island was hit by a series of bomb attacks.
"I think that President Chen is very brave. The most dangerous place is the safest one," Hsieh said in response to a media inquiry.
Asked about the transit through Bali, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Michel Lu (§f¼yÀs) said little about the details but expressed gratitude to the Indonesian government for its assistance.
"The decision to temporarily land in Indonesia's Bali island was made before take-off from Abu Dhabi," Lu said.
The spokesman said that the transit was a "natural arrangement" as a result of the weather.
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