President Chen Shui-bian at 10:30 a.m. on August 23 Honduras time (August 24, 12:30 a.m., Taipei time), attended the Sixth Summit of the Heads of States and Governments of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Central America and the Dominican Republic. President Chen and the attending leaders or their representatives signed a joint communiqué after their meeting. President Chen attended the summit as part of his "Trip of Joint Grand Vision and Eternal Concern" to the region.
Attending the summit meeting were President Chen, Honduras President Manuel Zelaya Rosales, Belize Prime Minister Said W. Musa, El Salvador President Elias Antonio Saca, Guatemala President Oscar Berger Perdomo, Nicaragua Vice President Jaime René Morales Carazo, Panama Second Vice President Ruben Arosemena, Dominican Republic Deputy Foreign Minister José Manuel Trullols, Central American Integration System Secretary General Aníbal Enrique Quiñonez, and Central American Bank for Economic Integration President Harry Brautigan.
During the summit, the leaders and representatives from the ROC (Taiwan), Central American diplomatic allies and the Dominican Republic, delivered reports on cooperative relationships, as well as energy and environmental topics. The participants also discussed and passed a joint communiqué.
In remarks at the opening of the summit, President Chen said that the majority of the countries attending this summit have been diplomatic allies of the ROC (Taiwan) for over 60 years. Taiwan has progressed from an authoritarian system in the past to a democracy today. During the course, the nation's allies in Central America and the Dominican Republic have maintained close and friendly relations with Taiwan and all have built a strong friendship. In today's age in which information is transmitted quickly and transportation is convenient, neither geography nor language poses as obstacles anymore. The countries in attendance have many things in common, including similar developmental backgrounds as well as the sharing of the universal values of democracy, freedom and human rights. Based on this foundation, countries participating in the summit seek to pursue mutual interests through cooperation and development, as well as establish close partnerships to achieve their goals.
In proposing a means to address the deteriorating environmental situation facing the globe, President Chen urged the international community to establish a World Environmental Organization (WEO) as soon as possible. The WEO would serve to coordinate multinational efforts and effectively monitor regional and global environmental and ecological issues in an effort to ensure the survival of mankind in the millennia to come. The president said that while Taiwan presently is not a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or the Kyoto Protocol, it is more than willing to fulfill its responsibility as a citizen of the globe and actively engage in international environmental protection efforts. He looks forward to Taiwan, Central American allies and the Dominican Republic cooperating in the area of environmental protection in order to achieve the "Joint Grand Vision and Eternal Concern."
In the afternoon, Honduras President Zelaya invited President Chen to a horseback riding stable not far from the summit venue. The two enjoyed a performance by the horses. Both also got up on horses and rode around the field, greeting crowds of onlookers.
In the evening, the president returned to his hotel and then met with Honduras Supreme Court President Vilma Morales and Grand Justice Sonia Dubon. The president expressed his admiration for the impressive performance of these two outstanding female justices.