Taipei, July 11 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian exhorted new graduates of the nation's five military academies in three service branches to dedicate themselves to the national cause and never to lose confidence in the country's future.
Chen gave the pep talk at a joint graduation ceremony for the National Defense University, the Chinese Military Academy, the Chinese Naval Academy, the Chinese Air Force Academy and the Fu Hsing Kang College (FHKC) at the FHKC auditorium in suburban Taipei.
The president encouraged the nation's new military officers to pursue their career goals with "courage, conviction and trust." "As military service members, you should show unswerving loyalty to our country and fulfill your duties with courage and perseverance," Chen said.
He also reminded them of the importance of trust in forging esprit de corps in the military rank and file. "Trust is a basic element in uniting members of a group and should be a guideline for military leadership," Chen said.
He further said "having dreams and making dreams come true with diligence and action" is a sure-fire recipe for success. "This formula for happiness and success is also my graduation present to you all."
Touching on the challenges faced by Taiwan, Chen said mainland China remains a threat to the nation's security. "Although relations across the Taiwan Strait are largely stable at the moment, Beijing continues to pressure Taiwan to accept its 'one country, two systems' unification scheme by intensifying diplomatic suppression and stepping up its military deployment against us," Chen said.
In the face of this situation, he went on, Taiwan must establish an elite deterrent force to defend its national security. "We must step up our combat preparedness and modernize our arsenal to safeguard our national security," Chen added.