Chen offers `peace, sovereignty'

P resident-elect Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday reaffirmed Taiwan's determination to maintain its sovereignty, while appealing to China for cooperation to help uphold peace across the Taiwan Strait.

"Most people in Taiwan cannot accept the `one country, two systems' model for unification, but the determination to seek peace will not be discarded," Chen told a room packed with both local and international journalists at the party's national election headquarters in Taipei.

Reiterating that he was prepared to talk to China, Chen invited Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji (朱鎔基) and Wang Daohan (汪道涵), the head of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, to visit Taiwan.

Chen also repeated his previous offer to visit Beijing with his vice president, Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), before they are inaugurated on May 20, to begin improving communication across the Strait.

"In order to maintain national security and the benefits of all the people [on Taiwan], we would like to immediately negotiate with China on the issues of direct links, direct commerce, investment and military confidence-building measures," Chen said.

"We hope that leaders from both sides of the Taiwan Strait can use all of their wisdom and courage to cooperate and develop a positive relationship in the future and use goodwill to ease tensions. We should also cooperate actively to create a lasting peace," Chen said.

After delivering his speech, Chen was asked whether he would change his stance on Taiwan independence, as well as how he would face military threats from China.

He said twice that he is now the President of the Republic of China and that as the 10th president of the country, "we [himself and the vice president] insist that our authority and sovereignty should be forever protected, and peace across the Taiwan Strait is our mission and destiny.

"As the new leaders of Taiwan, we have the duty to protect our country," Chen said.

Chen also expressed his appreciation to the international community for their concern and support of Taiwan during the election.

"The smooth completion of Taiwan's election opens up a new opportunity for peaceful democracy in the Asian Pacific region as well as providing a role-model for the third wave of global democracy," he said.

Chen also focused on domestic issues, pledging that he would try to move beyond party barriers to create a cross-party task force to help with the transition of power and adopt the policies of other candidates.

"The end of the election is the beginning of the end of tensions -- the people of Taiwan must construct a positive future," he said.