In a speech short on specifics, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that Taiwan should join with the international community to encourage the forces of democracy to defeat those of authoritarianism and help people from authoritarian countries to gain their freedom.
But he gave no promises of concrete action to support his pledge.
"Pursuing the ideal of a nation based on human rights has been a major part of our administration's agenda and the aspiration of the 23 million people on Taiwan," Chen said.
The president made the remarks at the Presidential Office as he received more than 50 delegates from 26 countries who attended the annual meeting of the World League for Freedom and Democracy (WLFD) earlier this week.
He stressed that although many conflicts continue between different civilizations and the complexity of the current international situation is causing anxiety and instability, the determination to pursue the universal values of democracy, freedom, and human rights will never fade.
"The post-Cold War era should be the best opportunity for us to build a new world order," he said, "but there are still crises and conflicts in some regions that threaten the security of the global village. The Sept. 11 terrorist attack last year is the most obvious example."
"The WLFD, which has been devoted to the spread of the idea of democracy to promote the protection of basic human rights and justice, has received praise from the international community," the president said. "Taiwan, which upholds the same ideals, is ready to join that mission with all members of the WLFD."
Stating that people of the "global village" are at a crucial moment in history, Chen said that Taiwan would continue to promote human rights and will take concrete action by establishing a national human rights commission.
Chen said that despite regional clashes and crises, he believes that humanity must always pursue the "universal values of democracy, freedom, human rights and peace."
He lauded the WLFD for its dissemination of the ideas of freedom and democracy to other parts of the world so that justice and basic human rights would be respected and protected.
The WLFD held its 32nd congress from last Sunday to last Tuesday at Taipei's Grand Hotel.
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