Remarks by H. E. President Chen Shui-bian at the State Banquet in
Honor of H. E. President Kessai H. Note of the
Republic of the Marshall Islands
His Excellency President Note, Madame Note, Vice President Lu, Legislative Speaker Wang, President of the Judicial Yuan Weng and Madam Weng, President of the Examination Yuan Yao, distinguished members of the Republic of the Marshall Islands delegation, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Ambassador Sawadogo and Madam Sawadogo, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Dear colleagues, legislators, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: Good evening!
Tonight, I am greatly honored and pleased to have this opportunity to host another state banquet in honor of His Excellency President Note, Madame Note and all members of the delegation from the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
First of all, on behalf of the government and the 23 million people of Taiwan, I would like to once again express my warmest welcome and regards to President Note, Madame Note and your distinguished delegation.
It was my great honor to visit the Marshall Islands at the invitation of President Note in May last year. That trip made me the first President of Taiwan to visit your beautiful country, the first foreign head of state to deliver a speech in your parliament and the first foreign head of state to ride a canoe with President Note in the Marshall Islands.
I would like to thank President Note for arranging all these wonderful record-making activities for me. President Note is the best helmsman I have ever known, and I am always grateful that he kindly prepared these great activities for me. Your Excellency, the unforgettable canoe ride into the ocean that we took together was a previous experience that I will always cherish in my heart.
During our stay in the Marshall Islands, your warm-hearted, hospitable people greeted us with their bright smiles wherever we went. We were dearly surrounded by the genuine friendship of Your Excellency's government and people, and we have been very grateful for having such great friends. Here, on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to express aloud our thankfulness for the hospitality that your government and people accorded to us during last year's visit.
Your Excellency, your state visit to Taiwan this time is the fourth one you made during your presidency. For the first time in history, we changed the location of holding the welcoming military ceremony from the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall square to the Presidential Office square. To our great delight, Your Excellency became the first head of state from our diplomatic ally that we welcomed with the grand military ceremony at the Presidential Office square.
In fact, Your Excellency and I were born in the same year. We both once served as parliamentarians, led the opposition parties to victories in elections and steered our countries through the first-ever transfer of power between political parties. We were both elected Presidents in 2000 and won re-elections in 2004.
When Your Excellency visited Taiwan last time at the end of 2004, you told me that you had six grandchildren. Two years have not passed since your last visit, and the number of your grandchildren has increased to ten. What a blessing that God gives you so many grandchildren! I am very pleased that I also have some good news to share with Your Excellency, and that is my third grandson will be born in July this year. Your Excellency and I share many similarities, but you have definitely outmatched me in your blessings of having a large group of grandchildren. My grandchildren will never outnumber yours because you have five children and I only two.
Your Excellency will travel to southern Taiwan to visit some political institutions and economic infrastructure in Kaohsiung and Pingtung tomorrow. I will also fly to the south to accompany President Note on his visit to the Long Diann Marine Biotechnology Company and Fangliao F3 Special Art District. Your Excellency will stay overnight in Kenting, the southernmost tip of Taiwan, tomorrow. I hope that Your Excellency will take delight in the warm sunshine and country air in southern Taiwan.
Both the Marshall Islands and Taiwan are Pacific island nations and our peoples are optimistic, sturdy children of the ocean. That is why a song called "Taiwan" is played for tonight's banquet. I will recite part of the lyrics of the song:
Taiwan, surrounded by ocean, surrounded by sea
Emerald mountains and sapphire rivers follow me
Beloved is her natural splendor
Protect her we shall from human plunder.
In recent years, Taiwan has faced unprecedented challenges in preserving and obtaining opportunities to participate in the international community due to mounting oppression from China. However, as the song told us, the people of Taiwan love this land and are firmly opposed to any use of force by the undemocratic China against our democratic Taiwan, including the deployment of missiles to destroy Taiwan's democratic achievements.
We are convinced that Taiwan will not be left alone in the international community, because we have a true friend like the Marshall Islands and an outstanding politician like President Note speaking for us in the international society. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Your Excellency again for publicly calling for more countries' support for Taiwan's bid to join the United Nations in the UN Summit on September 15, 2005. I would also like to thank you for supporting us in our efforts to join the World Health Organization and other international organizations.
May 1 is both the Constitution Day and National Day of the Marshall Islands. On behalf of the 23 million people of Taiwan, I would like to express our best wishes to you for your coming celebrations. I also hope that our two nations will overcome any difficulties through close cooperation and work hand in hand toward the realization of ideals and visions shared by our two peoples and governments.
In closing, I would like to propose a toast to the good health of President Note and Madame Note, the prosperity of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Taiwan and the everlasting friendship between our two countries! Thank you!