Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian welcomed visiting Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakada and members of his city council delegation Friday at the Presidential Office.
Chen said he appreciated Nakada's visit to Taiwan as it represents his support for and goodwill toward Taiwan.
The president told his guest that he visited Yokohama several years ago when he served as Taipei mayor. However, he went on, the then-Yokohama mayor dared only to meet him behind closed doors at a reception hall located on the coastal area of the port city for fear of irritating Beijing because Yokohama has sister-city ties with Shanghai.
Therefore, Chen noted that his meeting with Nakada at the Presidential Office and the latter's visit to Taiwan hold special significance. The president said that he hopes to visit Yokohama again in the future. Chen served as Taipei mayor from 1994 to 1998.
Chen also thanked Nakada for supporting former President Lee Teng-hui's request to travel to Japan for medical treatment two years ago when he served as a Japanese Diet member.
In response, Nakada praised Chen for his contribution to Taiwan's democratization and said that he believed the democracy in Taiwan will be further consolidated under his leadership.