Taipei, Feb. 20 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian presided Friday over the groundbreaking of an orchid biotechnology park in southern Tainan County, praising locally cultivated fine orchids as a symbol of Taiwan's refined agriculture.
Claiming that Taiwan orchids will become the world's top class flower due to its high quality and production volume, Chen said the government fully supports the industry, which has been included by the Executive Yuan in its "Challenge 2008" six-year national development plan.
The president also talked about the government's financial reform efforts, stressing that it has helped write off bad loans worth more than NT$1.2 trillion (about US$37 billion) for the credit divisions of farmers's and fishermen's associations all over the country.