President Lee Teng-hui indicated today that although the Republic of China has been a sovereign state for the past 88 years, many people dare not speak out the reality, adding that he therefore has presented the idea of the “special State-to-State relationship.” If the ROC is considered as a province of the People’s Republic of China, how can it negotiate with Peking, he said.
The President made the remarks when meeting with the ROC Model Civil Servants, 1999.
President Lee said, “We are not declaring Taiwan independence, but are safeguarding our national interest and striving for our rightful status.”
He stressed that the key of the issue lies in “confidence.” The people in the ROC must have confidence in themselves, in their country and in overcoming difficulties, before they can receive better understanding and support from the international community, he maintained. President Lee also expressed his expectations that all the ROC civil servants will not only have the confidence to break through the difficulties in their daily work, but also to thrust themselves boldly into resolving the major problems facing them.