President Lee Teng-hui this afternoon met with delegates to the 2nd Asia-Pacific Youth Leadership Conference held in Taipei and extended his warm welcome to them.
"Given the rapid development of the economy and trade," President Lee said, "the Asia-Pacific region has become the focus of global economy. Looking ahead, if countries in this region strengthen cooperation, we will be able to create a more prosperous future."
"For the past four decades," he added, " with the joint efforts of the government and the people of the Republic of China, we have produced abundant achievements
of national development, which are admired by the international society. Currently we are engaged in the second phase of constitutional reform with the hope that a sound constitutional system will be built to lay a solid foundation for an everlasting peace and stability for the nation."
"In terms of economic reconstruction, we are now actively developing Taiwan into an Asia-Pacific regional operation center; we wish to form a globalized and liberalized economy, to fully utilize our location as the hub of the Asia-Pacific economy, and to contribute to the peace, cooperation and prosperity in this region," President Lee told his guests.
"For the past fifty years," the President noted, "through the efforts fo all our people, the Republic of China has made a new environment of political democracy, economic prosperity, and open society. In the course of this struggle and hard work, we have accumulated a lot of valuable experiences, which may be a reference to other developing countries. We are eager to share the fruits of our efforts with other members of the international society. We would like to offer our experience to promote worldwide prosperity and to raise the common welfare of all peoples."
A total of 26 delegates headed by ROC Youth Commission Chairman Huang Teh-fu who also served as chairman of the conference, came to the Office of the President for the meeting. Dr. Ding Mou-shih, secretary-general of the ROC National Security Council, and Mr. Stephen S.F. Chen, deputy secretary-general to the President, were also present.