Vice President Lien Chan stated today that during the past two decades, the ROC government and people have managed to maintain stability and made remarkable progress in the face of adversaries and challenges. Through the concerted efforts of its citizens, the ROC has built a mature democracy in addition to a strong economy, he said.
He asserted that in recent years, the ROC has demonstrated the willingness and ability to fulfill its international responsibility through its concrete actions, revealing the ROC people's concern over the world.
Vice President Lien made the remarks when he and his wife hosted a banquet this evening at Grand Hyatt Taipei in honor of former US President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter.
Mr. Carter was the US President from 1977 to 1981, and he established the Carter Center in 1982 after finishing his term. The center is a non-profit, non-partisan corporation for public policy. It is set up to promote democratization and to develop global cooperation projects in medical care and urban rejuvenation for combating disease, starvation, poverty, conflict and oppression. The Vice President especially expressed his admiration for Mr. Carter's endeavors to build a better world.
During the banquet, Vice President Lien told his guest that both the ROC government and its private organizations have played an active role in international charitable and humanitarian activities. For example, after Hurricane Mitch ravaged Central America last year, the ROC government immediately offered aid worth nearly USD 50 million to the devastated countries. On behalf of the ROC government and people, he went on a trip of compassion to the four Central American countries, he added.
He said: "Taiwan has no vast territory or huge population. However, our private charity organizations and their humanitarian work have been seen everywhere in the world."
"Taiwan is a society full of compassion, and we are most willing to share this compassion with others. Following our well-known economic miracle, the miracle of our compassion is yet another spreading news item."
The Vice President told Mr. Carter that he has particularly invited the heads or representatives of many local private charity organizations to join him in welcoming Mr. Carter and to share their experiences.
"In this world, a philanthropic country will never be lonely," Vice President Lien maintained. In particular, the ROC and the United States share some common basic values, such as commitment to democracy and freedom and respect for human rights. Mr. Carter's visit to the ROC not only will further promote the friendship and exchanges between the two peoples, but also will strengthen their compassion and concern for the underprivileged in the future, he said.
A first-time visitor to the ROC, Mr. Carter said that he is deeply impressed by the ROC's progress and development, and that he admires the ROC government and its private sector for their efforts in humanitarian work.
The former US President pointed out that there are still many people and events in the world that deserve compassion and concern, and that he wishes everyone will extend his helping hand to promote the well-being of all humanity.
Prior to the banquet, Vice President and Mrs. Lien had met with the visiting couple and their family at Grand Hyatt Taipei.
Other guests of the banquet included: Hsu Li-teh, Senior Advisor to the President; Foreign Minister Jason Hu; Chairman Su Chi of the Mainland Affairs Council; Director-General Chen Chien-jen of the Government Information Office; Daryl Johnson, Taipei Office Director-General of the American Institute in Taiwan; Tien Hung-mao, president of the Institute for National Policy Research; and Chen Charng-ven, vice president of the ROC Red Cross Society.