President Lee Teng-hui met today with Ivan Borissov Slavkov, a member of the International Olympic Committee from Bulgaria and second-time visitor to the Republic of China, and extended a warm welcome to him.
Though a population of only eight million, Bulgaria has won a total of 47 gold medals in the previous Olympic Games. On this remarkable sports record, President Lee said that the ROC should learn from Bulgaria's experience in promoting sports. He proposed that the ROC invite distinguished Bulgarian athletes to Taiwan for sports competitions in order to upgrade this country's sports standards and to promote sports exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries.
Besides sports exchanges, the President added, with the ROC's successful experience in development, the ROC can help Bulgaria develop economy and improve the living standards of the Bulgarian people through economic and trade exchanges between their private sectors and increases in ROC investment in Bulgaria.
Mr. Slavkov, who had visited the ROC to participate in its National Day celebrations 10 years ago, stated that the ROC's transformation during the past years are beyond imagination. He said that he will do his utmost to promote mutual exchanges in sports between the two countries.
Accompanied by Huang Ta-chou, President of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee; Nancy Chao, Chairman of the National Sports Council; and the ROC's IOC member C.K. Wu, the Bulgarian visitor met with President Lee at the Presidential Office this afternoon. Secretary-General Ding Mou-shih of the National Security Council and Su Chi, Deputy Secretary-General to the President, were also present.