In the celebration reception, entitled "Women's Influence, Influencing Women," she recognized the DPP's long-time efforts in promoting women's rights and welfare, and acknowledged the DWD's proactive involvement in empowering women and defending women's right to work.
She especially thanked President Chen Shui-bian and former Premier Yu Shyi-kun for defending women's right to participate in politics and for promoting gender mainstreaming, which is in compliance with the direction set by the United Nations.
She pointed out that the DPP already passed in 1996 a resolution that requires one-fourth of its election candidates be filled by women, saying that this achievement is remarkable for the social ambiance at that time was rather patriarchal. She also reminded the general public, particularly women, not to forget the incident that then-director of DWD, Ms. Peng Wan-ru, was murdered the night before the resolution was passed.
In addition, the vice president extended her appreciation to Professor Lee Yuan-chen and Ms. Chen Chu; the former published the first feminist magazine in Taiwan that has set women free from the patriarchal shackle, and the latter, also a political prisoner of the Kaohsiung Incident as the vice president is, sent to the international community the message of Taiwan's democracy at a time when Taiwan was still an enclosed society.
Women are love-giving in nature and are characterized by compassion, she said, hoping Taiwan will become a society of gender harmony that transcends gender struggle and inequality.