Vice President Annette Lu on August 14 officiated at the first anniversary of the Democratic Pacific Union (DPU), a body initiated and currently chaired by the vice president herself and aimed to promote "democracy, peace, and prosperity" in the Asian Pacific region and the world.
President Chen Shui-bian also attended the celebration and congratulated the vice president on the preliminary success of the body. Other honorable guests included Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, El Salvador Ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Francisco Ricardo Santana Berrios, Japan's representative to Taiwan Tadashi Ikeda, and Australia's representative to Taiwan Steve Waters.
The vice president told her guests that the establishment of the DPU last year is meaningful in that August 14, 1945 marks the ending day of both the Pacific War and World War II.
"Taiwan, together with the world, should participate in developing a framework for peace," she emphasized, adding that democracy, peace, and prosperity are the goals people of the 21st century should fight for and cherish.
The founding of the DPU is the result of the efforts of its forerunner, the Democratic Pacific Assembly (DPA), whose annual meetings were held in Taiwan for three consecutive years (2002-04).
The vice president also told her guests that the DPU's Pacific Congressional Caucus is soon to be launched at the end of this year, and announced that parliamentarians from over 20 countries have echoed to this initiative.
In the near future, the DPU will be undertaking such projects as scholar exchange, fellowships and grants, and cooperation among universities in Asia.
In conclusion, "Love and peace is our common wish, and to make our world free of war, men and women are equally responsible," she said.