Remarks at the 16th Asian Pacific Congress of Cardiology
Chen Shui-bian
President
Republic of China (Taiwan)
December 13, 2007
Congress Chairman Chiang, Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology President Lim, Distinguished Guests, Esteemed Specialists and Academics, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Good afternoon to you all!
It is a great honor and pleasure for me to be with you today at the 16th Asian Pacific Congress of Cardiology here in the Taipei International Convention Center. At this special event, cardiologists from 19 countries have gathered to advance the treatment of cardiological diseases, and I would like to extend an especially warm welcome to those of you who have traveled here from afar.
Our people are justly proud of Taiwan's medical achievements, which are for us a great blessing. International conferences such as this one have often been the forums at which many of our country's outstanding medical research results have been published and subsequently acclaimed. In 1983, Taiwan hosted the 8th Asian Pacific Congress of Cardiology. Today, some twenty-four years later, we are happy to have been granted the privilege to host this conference once again. This is not only because the host has worked very hard to gain this honor, but also because leading cardiologists in many countries have expressed great confidence in Taiwan's medical standards and capacity to organize such an important international conference.
Taiwan has made great progress in the field of cardiology. We have the highest heart transplant survival rate in Asia, and play a leading role in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). In the past, patients with AF often had to undergo surgery to cure this irregularity. Today, advances in atrial electrophysiology and radiofrequency catheter ablation mean that this condition can be corrected using internal medicine and spare patients the risks of surgery. In addition, many Asian countries see our expertise in using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, as a model to be learned from.
President Chiang and the members of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology have been looking forward to meeting with those of you from abroad at this conference and exchanging with you the latest clinical and academic information. Topics of interest may include how stem cells can be used to improve cardiac function in patients who have suffered acute myocardial infarction, the prospects of treating AF, and the latest developments in the treatment of congenital heart disease. I believe this conference will not only help to improve Taiwan's medical standards and practices, but also further our country's efforts at medical diplomacy.
Both physically and psychologically, the heart is an indispensable and most special organ. Mark Twain said, "One learns through the heart, not the eyes or the intellect." In the Bible, Proverbs enjoins, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." When we have heart problems, it is to cardiologists that we turn for help.
Therefore, I would like to express my utmost gratitude and respect to all the cardiologists present for striving to protect our lives. I hope that you all will make full use of this opportunity to learn more from and exchange experiences with other specialists. In closing, I wish this congress every success and all of you health, happiness, and a most pleasant and fruitful time here in Taiwan. Thank you!