Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian attended the light-up ceremony for the 2004 Taipei Lantern Festival Saturday at the Taipei City Hall plaza.
Chen joined Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou in lighting up a theme lantern to mark the start of a series of festive activities in cerebration of Lantern Festival which falls on Feb. 23 this year.
It marked the first time that Chen attended the light-up ceremony for the Taipei Lantern Festival in his capacity as president. The annual event was launched during Chen's tenure as Taipei mayor from 1994 to 1998.
Chen said he took great pleasure in attending the ceremony, saying he was impressed by the "lantern tunnel" along the tree-dotted Jen Ai Road that links the Presidential Office to the Taipei City Hall. The road, decorated with numerous lanterns and small light bulbs, now looks like a "lantern tunnel."
Noting that Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first month on the lunar calendar, has traditionally marked the end of Lunar New Year celebrations, Chen said he hopes all local people will start hard work after the festival. "Our country endured man crises and difficulties in the past year. The new Year of the Rooster is like a 'blank' paper which is full of promise. Let's work even harder from now on to create even brighter future for our country," Chen said.