Taipei, Oct. 17 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian presented a visiting British parliamentarian with a medal Friday at the Presidential Office in recognition of his contributions to the promotion of Taiwan-United Kingdom relations.
Speaking at the ceremony where David Martin Steel, a member of the British House of Lords, was awarded the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon, President Chen thanked Steel for the support and assistance he gave Taiwan during his tenure as president of Liberal International from 1994 to 1996.
President Chen said that the Prize for Freedom that Liberal International awarded him in 2001 represented not only a great personal honor, but also recognition of the 23 million people of Taiwan who accomplished the first peaceful transfer of political power between parties in Chinese history in 2000.
The president was not able to receive the award in person. Republic of China first lady Wu Shu-chen accepted the prize on Chen's behalf at a ceremony Nov. 14, 2001 in Strasbourg, France.
Steel has visited Taiwan four times and has witnessed Taiwan's democratic and economic development, Chen pointed out, adding that the people of Taiwan appreciate the experiences and achievements brought by democratization.
Chen also congratulated Steel for the rapid growth of the Liberal Democratic Party he founded. The party has become the third-largest party in the U.K.
He expressed the hope that relations between Taiwan and the U.K. will further strengthen. The U.K. has become the third-largest trading partner of Taiwan in Europe with two-way trade hitting US$4.26 billion in 2002.
In response, Steel said that he has been impressed on each of his visits by the progress made in Taiwan.