President Chen Shui-bian met with eight United States scholars on China studies on August 29 at the Office of the President. In the meeting, he said that people around the world should show concern about the Chinese identification that comes along with the country's rise.
He said that on the way of China's rise there have emerged the chances that China might resort to violence once other countries do not accept China's identity, which is "undemocratic." On the other hand, "Taiwan consciousness," he added, "has developed itself out of Taiwan's liberalization, democratization, and grass-root movement, and that is why I proposed 'Taiwan sovereignty and consciousness' in my new-year speech this year."
Therefore, he hoped his guests could recognize and understand Taiwan's strenuous efforts in manifesting and insisting on its sovereignty and self-consciousness, adding that "Taiwan's democracy, freedom, and the practice of rule of law can help expedite China's democratization and correct its human rights records."
The president's guests included David G. Brown, Ralph A. Cossa, Dennis V. Hickey, Dali L. Yang, Suisheng Zhao, Allen Carlson, James R. Holmes, and Paul A. Kowert, who are currently attending the "35th Taiwan-American Conference on Contemporary China" in Taipei. Deputy Secretary-General to the President Liu Shyh-fang was also present in the meeting.