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President will hand out red envelopes with a difference

In line with recent efforts to rename state institutions, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will hand out red envelopes emblazoned with the name "Taiwan" this year.

Chen and first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) will follow the precedent set by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) in handing out red envelopes to well-wishers on Lunar New Year's Day to wish them good luck and fortune.

Presidential Office spokesman David Lee (李南陽) said the biggest difference concerning this year's red envelopes is that the image of the animals representing the year is replaced by the name "Taiwan."

Land lover

"Taiwan the dearest name" is printed in Chinese and English on the cover of the red envelope to typify Chen's "love for the land," David Lee said.

The Chinese names of the president and first lady are printed on the bottom left corner of the cover.

The envelopes contain a NT$10 (US$0.30) coin and an image of a little girl putting a coin into a piggy bank to welcome the Year of the Pig.

Limit

The amount of money in the envelopes was reduced from NT$200 to NT$10 in 2004 because of an anti-vote-buying law that limits gifts given by candidates to voters to no more than NT$30.

David Lee said that the president had seen many people lining up outside the president's parents' residence in Kuantien Township (官田), Tainan County, on television.

They are waiting for the chance to receive a red envelope.

The president will also treat villagers to a lunch banquet. The traditional big lunch will be replaced with fried rice noodles and fish ball soup, David Lee added.
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