President Chen was briefed by local officials about the progress of a community development project that began in Hsinhsiang village at the end of 1999.
Chen said that although many aboriginal villages have been recovering from the destruction caused by the 921 earthquake, the 921 Earthquake Post-Disaster Recovering Commission has still allocated another NT$240 million this year to finance reconstruction and development in aboriginal communities.
Under the government's assistance, Chen said, Nantou County's Hsinhsiang village, Hsinchu County's Chienshih rural township and Kaohsiung County's Sanmin rural township have become model aboriginal communities through integrated development programs that have been carried out over the past four years.
The integrated development programs include reconstruction and development of infrastructure, as well as cultural and humanistic development, Chen said.