Honolulu, Aug. 8 (CNA) ROC Vice President Annette Lu, who is currently on a transit stop in Hawaii on her way to Panama, met with influential Hawaiian politicians Friday for wide-ranging talks.
Lu exchanged views with Hawaiian State House of Representatives Speaker Calvin Say and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) in separate meetings at her hotel room on matters of mutual interest.
During her talks with Akaka, Lu briefed her guest on Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on certain public issues, including its bid to join the World Health Assembly (WHA) -- the World Health Organization's (WHO's) governing body -- as an observer.
Lu said mainland China has never apologized for the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to Taiwan. Worse still, she said, mainland delegates publicly humiliated Taiwan during this year's WHA conference in Geneva in May and spared no efforts to block Taiwan's observership bid.
The planned referendum is aimed at letting the world understand the necessity for Taiwan to be included into the WHO system and the Taiwan people's determination to realize this goal, Lu said.
Despite mainland China's perennial military threat, Lu said, Taiwan has managed to create "an economic miracle and a political miracle" while maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait. With all these achievements, she said, Taiwan deserves more international support for its cause. Lu said once Taiwan is admitted to the WHO, it will be able to make even more contributions to the world health regulatory body.
Lu invited Akaka to attend the first Democratic Pacific Conference to be held in Taipei later this year.
Earlier in the day, Lu discussed tourist, foreign labor and education issues with the Hawaiian State House of Representatives speaker.
Hawaii is noted for its tourist industry and is experienced in handling foreign laborer issues. Lu said Taiwan has much to learn from Hawaii in promoting tourism, ethnic harmony and globalization.