President Chen Shui-bian on May 28 met with a visiting delegation of Maori parliamentarians from New Zealand. In addition to expressing his welcome and gratitude to the visitors, the president expressed his hope that the delegation would share Taiwan's pride in infrastructural advances .
President Chen said he is pleased to see close substantive relations between Taiwan and New Zealand. He said that the two countries have traditionally had close economic ties and have engaged in commercial cooperation. Last year, bilateral trade exceeded 1 billion New Zealand dollars, with imports and exports each accounting for half. Taiwan is New Zealand's eighth largest export market and 12th largest source for imports. New Zealand's exports to Taiwan grew at a 13.7% clip, while imports from Taiwan rose at over 10%. Meanwhile, economic consultations at the vice minister level will be held for the 13th time in August of this year in Taipei. In addition, the 18th Joint Meeting of ROC-New Zealand and New Zealand-Taiwan Business Councils will be held in the latter half of July in Taipei, he said.
The president said that many island nations in the Pacific maintain close cooperative relations with both Taiwan and New Zealand. As a result, both Taiwan and New Zealand share many common interests with regards to Pacific island nations, he said, adding that he hopes the two will join hands in working to promote good governance and economic prosperity in countries throughout the region. President Chen said Taiwan maintains formal diplomatic relations with a number of Pacific island nations, including Palau, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands. Last year, Taiwan held its first-ever summit with its six Pacific island allies in Palau, and the second summit will be held in October of this year in the Marshall Islands capital of Majuro. He said he hopes the New Zealand government will send an observer to the event.
The president said the delegation presently visiting Taiwan consists of Maori parliamentarians from the Maori Party, the National Party and the Green Party, indicating that support for Taiwan transcends party boundaries in New Zealand. The president pointed out that the leader of the visiting delegation, Tariana Turia, not only is the co-leader of the Maori Party, but is also a member of the Parliamentary Health Select Committee. Ms. Turia has expressed her support for Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization. She has also written a letter to New Zealand's health minister on the matter. President Chen said that medical care knows no boundaries and there must be no gaps in the global disease prevention network. He said that collective right to health of the 23 million people of Taiwan should not be neglected or denied by the international community. He also said he hopes the New Zealand government will take notice of the situation and support Taiwan in its efforts to join the WHO.