The Assembly of Austronesian Leaders opened in Taipei yesterday with about 100 delegates from 13 countries participating.
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) offered his greetings in a speech to the opening of the assembly -- the first of its kind ever sponsored by the government -- and wished the participants a successful meeting.
Chen said that after years of concerted effort Taiwan has become one of the strongholds in the Asia-Pacific region in studies on Austronesian peoples, languages and cultures.
PHOTO: AFP
Chen said the government has attached great importance to promoting exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and countries in the South Pacific and other Austronesian areas and that is the reason why the government has spearheaded its "go south" foreign investment policy.
Chen said the areas in which Austronesian languages are spoken are so vast that they encompass nearly half the globe, stretching from Easter Island in the east, to Madagascar in the west and New Zealand to the south.
He said that in the face of globalization and a highly competitive era, the Austronesian peoples should accelerate cooperation and consolidation among them.
He said that Taiwan bears its share of the responsibility for maintaining stability and seeking progress in the international community.
Being part of the Austronesian-language region, he added that Taiwan is also determined to preserve Austronesian cultures and to protect Austronesian peoples' rights to development and prosperity.
It is hoped that through this assembly, the Taiwanese people will reach a consensus on issues of mutual concern with other Austronesian peoples, as well as build a communications platform with them for substantive exchange activities.
Chen said that it is also hoped that Austronesian peoples in this part of the world will continue to enjoy stable and prosperous living conditions and spaces for their own sustainable development and for harmony among global ethnic groups.
Also addressing the assembly was Council for Aboriginal Affairs Chairman Chen Chien-nien (
In addition to 60 Aboriginal leaders from Taiwan, the participants also included 28 Austronesian dignitaries from Australia, Hawaii, Indonesia, Fiji, Malaysia, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanadau as well as four indigenous chiefs from Canada.
The assembly participants will call on Chen after the two-day gathering is at an end. They will then proceed to Hualien to visit Aboriginal people, see an Aboriginal school at National Dong Hwa University and call at Tzu Chi University before heading to Taitung to visit the National Museum of Prehistory.
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