Sun, Jan 30, 2005 page1

• Chen meets famous wrestler, goes to Solomon Islands

  • By Huang Tai-lin / STAFF REPORTER
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  On the last night of his stay in Palau Friday night, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had a brief exchange with Antonio Inoki, one of professional wrestling's all-time greatest competitors.

  Aware of Chen's visit to Palau, and knowing that he would attend a state banquet, Inoki patiently waited by a stairway before the banquet started with the hope of meeting Chen.

  Noting that Chen came from a poor background, yet had worked his way up to become president of Taiwan, Inoki, who is also a former member of Japan's Diet, said he has long held a high regard for Chen, who he said had made great efforts in Taiwan's pursuit of democracy.

  Inoki, whose nickname Moeru Toukon means "The Fighting Spirit that Burns," told Chen of his interest in visiting Taiwan, and the president said he is willing to help out and make relevant arrangements.

  Chen later arrived in the Solomon Islands on the second and final leg of his visit to the South Pacific.

  After a five-hour flight from Palau, Chen and his entourage were given a red-carpet welcome at Honiara International Airport on the island of Guadalcanal.

  Solomon Islands' Governor-General Nathaniel Waena and Prime Minister Sir Allen Kemakeza met Chen on his arrival, where a traditional warrior dance was performed.

  Chen was also given a string of shell money, which represents the highest honor in this South Pacific nation.

  Ahead of Chen's visit to the Solomon Islands, the Solomon Star newspaper on Friday ran a front page story with the title "Historical Visit."

  Chen is the first Taiwanese president to ever visit the South Pacific nation since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1983.

  The story said that Chen's visit was the biggest foreign government delegation to visit the country, and that the police had rehearsed their security arrangement several times ahead of Chen's arrival.

  The Kola'a Ridge road, which leads to the governor-general's residence, was once riddled with potholes, but it had been repaired in anticipation of Chen's visit, said the Solomon Star, which does not publish on the weekends.

  The newspaper also published an editorial the same day with the headline "Welcome President Chen."

  Aside from extending a welcome to Chen, the editorial lauded Taiwan's assistance to the Solomon Islands over the last 21 years of diplomatic ties.

  "The National Referral Hospital, the many rice and vegetable farms in the country and certain primary school buildings and provisions of scholarships are just some of the assistance kindly donated to us by the people of Taiwan," the editorial said.

  Referring to its severe ethnic violence from 1999 to 2003, the editorial said that "during the civil unrest years when everyone else were packing up and leaving, Taiwan is our only friend that stood by us and saw us through during this most difficult time in our history."

  Noting that Solomon Islands has continued to support Taiwan's effort to join the UN despite opposition from China, the editorial said "that support must continue until members of the UN realize that Taiwan is a nation among nations."

  Shortly after Chen's arrival, he received briefing from Jack Chen (陳俊賢), Taiwan's ambassador to the Solomon Islands, on updates about Taiwan-Solomon Islands relations before meeting with the governor-general at his residence.

  According to Jack Chen, the Solomon Islands' National Parliament is currently in recess, and won't be convened until June.

  "The parliament, however, had passed a resolution to convene a provisional meeting on Monday in a bid to welcome Chen, who will address the parliament [on Monday]," Jack Chen said.

  A state banquet was held last night to welcome Chen and his entourage, at which Chen gave a speech. During the speech, Chen congratulated the national youth soccer team of the Solomon Islands, which had won a semifinal game three to one over Vanuatu and will enter the final qualification game of the 2006 youth soccer competition for the Pacific region.

  "I learned that originally, the national team of the Solomon Islands was zero-to-one behind the Vanuatuan team, and then your national team caught up and won the final game. That was really an enjoyable moment," Chen said.

  "I would say the spirit of never giving up is indeed the spirit of the Solomon Islands, and it is the spirit of this country's young people -- I would like to say that it is also the spirit of Taiwan," Chen told the audience at the banquet.

  Chen will today make visit to an agricultural technical mission at King George, and the National Referral Hospital, which is funded by the Taiwanese government.

  Before returning to Taipei Monday night, Chen and his entourage will make a brief "transit stop" in Guam, where he is slated to attend a banquet to be held in his honor by Taiwanese expatriates.
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