President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) hosted a banquet for Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew (李光耀) at his residence in Taipei last night, but officials declined to disclose the content of their discussion on the grounds that the meeting was private in nature.
Reliable Presidential Office sources, however, hinted that the issues raised at the meeting was related to the officials attending the event.
Also attending the banquet were Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), Premier Yu Shyi-kun, Presidential Office Secretary-general Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) and Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
Chen Wen-tzung (陳文宗), deputy director-general of the Presidential Office's Public Affairs Department, said the banquet was a reunion between old friends, and the Presidential Office must respect the guest's wish to keep it private.
Chen said President Chen will meet Lee again at his residence this afternoon, before Lee leaves the country. This second meeting will be between President Chen and Lee only, Chen said.
Lee met another "old friend" -- KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) -- yesterday afternoon, when he was invited to a luncheon at Lien's residence in Hone Shee Villa (鴻禧山莊) in Tahsi, Taoyuan County.
According to KMT officials, Lien and Lee exchanged views on issues of cross-strait relations, security in the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan's economic development and regional cooperation during the meeting, and they both expected to see closer cooperation between Taiwan and Singapore in the future.
Lien, who has held positions such as vice president, premier and minister of foreign affairs, has known Lee for years. Lien had received Lee at the same venue when Lee last visited Taiwan two years ago.
Before his reunion with Lien, Lee had a meeting with Chang Jung-feng (
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