On August 31, one day before the Journalist Day on September 1, President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu hosted a get-together with the journalists covering the Office of the President.
Citing a report rating press freedoms around the world released by the US-based Freedom House, in which Taiwan ranks 35th among the 194 countries surveyed and top in Asia, along with Japan, President Chen said that since most of the journalists stationed in the Office of the President are senior in their jobs, they must have experienced Taiwan's progress on the freedom of the press.
"Such remarkable results took everyone's efforts to accomplish," said President Chen. "And it also took everyone's efforts to uphold."
President Chen encouraged the journalists, who bear the responsibility of providing impartial and correct information, to stick to their professional ethics and live up to society's expectations.