President Chen Shui-bian met with a group of meritorious environmentalists on October 24, appreciating their efforts in protecting the environment.
President Chen said that preserving natural resources and pursuing sustainable development are the universal values as well as a global trend. Therefore, on May 20, the sixth anniversary of his inauguration day, he took up voluntary service in a beach-cleaning action at Baisahwan in hope to draw more people into the environmental protection movement
President Chen also expressed his hope that local environmental protection activists, both groups and individuals, would work together for the goal of building Taiwan into a resource-recycling community and a sustainable homeland.