President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), trying to lift the country's spirits in a New Year's Eve speech last night, said he realized the pain people had endured during a depressing year but vowed to move forward with reforms and boost the economy.
"I fully understand all the difficulties and challenges our people have gone through over the past year," Chen said in his year-end remarks broadcast on television.
"Everybody is concerned about our economy. In the coming year, I will give my opinions on the issues our people most care about," he said.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
He also commented for the first time on China's 16th Party Congress, held in November, saying that he welcomed the smooth transfer of power in China.
He also called on Chinese authorities to talk with Taiwan about protecting the rights of Taiwanese businessmen and cross-strait trade.
He said he would comment further on cross-strait relations in his New Year's Day speech today.
Sources from the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that in today's comments, Chen will reiterate the promise made in his inauguration speech two years ago on the so-called "five no's," which include that he would not push for Taiwan's independence.
Interpreting Chen's remarks, a senior official from the MAC said that Chen's remarks were aimed at reconfirming his middle path and creating a stable atmosphere across the Taiwan Strait.
The source also said that the government hopes that Chinese authorities will interpret Chen's remarks positively and understand the goodwill expressed by Taiwan.
The MAC official said that the president will talk about economic issues and his hopes of China democratizing.
Jan Jyh-horng (
Officials from the Presidential Office said that the president hoped his speech would raise the morale of his countrymen.
Chen said that in the past year, both the government and Taiwanese people had faced a number of difficulties about which he felt deeply.
Meanwhile, despite low temperatures and a fresh wind, thousands of people packed the square in front of the Presidential Office for New Year's celebrations last night.
In a festive atmosphere full of sights, sounds and special effects, revellers waited eagerly for the programs spanning from the last night of last year into the first day of this year. The venue was heavily guarded by armed policemen.
Chen appeared at the celebration at 10:30pm, marking the climax of the festivities.
He told the crowd he hoped the people could work together with the government to make 2003 a better year.
Taipei and Kaohsiung city governments held their own celebration that included concerts.
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday not only counted down the final seconds to the New Year with onlookers but also sang a song from an album by pop star Richie Jen (任賢齊).
The song vividly portrays both mayors' successes in getting re-elected and their ambitions for their second terms.
Ma said yesterday that the theme of the celebrations was in line with his administration's goals.
In the new year, Ma said he hoped to further realize the goals of elevating the city's development in the areas of culture, sports, recreation and health.
In front of the Kaohsiung City Cultural Center yesterday, Hsieh made a New Year wish to pass the next three New Year's Days with the city's residents to make the southern harbor city more prosperous.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
‘FORM OF PROTEST’: The German Institute Taipei said it was ‘shocked’ to see Nazi symbolism used in connection with political aims as it condemned the incident Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 yesterday amid an outcry over a Nazi armband he wore to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case on Tuesday night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and apparently covering the book with a coat. This is a serious international scandal and Chinese
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE TRAINING: The ministry said 87.5 percent of the apprehended Chinese agents were reported by service members they tried to lure into becoming spies Taiwanese organized crime, illegal money lenders, temples and civic groups are complicit in Beijing’s infiltration of the armed forces, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said in a report yesterday. Retired service members who had been turned to Beijing’s cause mainly relied on those channels to infiltrate the Taiwanese military, according to the report to be submitted to lawmakers ahead of tomorrow’s hearing on Chinese espionage in the military. Chinese intelligence typically used blackmail, Internet-based communications, bribery or debts to loan sharks to leverage active service personnel to do its bidding, it said. China’s main goals are to collect intelligence, and develop a
RSS