Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian called Tuesday for democratization in mainland China because a democratic Chinese mainland will help the Asia-Pacific region preserve peace and prosperity.
Chen made the remarks during a meeting with a group of political elite from Taiwan, Singapore, the United States, Japan and South Korea, who are taking part in an Asia-Pacific, five-nation democratic summit.
The issue of how to push for mainland China's democratization through cooperation among democratic Asia-Pacific states is a critical issue in the region, since the mainland, following market-oriented reforms over the past 20 years, has become a major market in the world, the president said.
Chen attributed the uncertainties about mainland China felt by Asia-Pacific nations to its lack of democratization, and appealed for concerted cooperation among democratic states in the region to make the mainland a democratic country to safeguard the region's peace and step up its economic progress.