President Chen Shui-bian on December 19 said that Taiwan would welcome China to enter Lions Clubs International. However, Taiwan should not be banished from the organization or belittled by being referred to as a part of China just so that China can become a member. President Chen made the remarks to express that Taiwan should be known as "Taiwan" in the organization. He made the remarks when meeting with Lions Clubs International President Mahendra Amarasuiya and his wife.
President Chen said that Taiwan is without doubt a sovereign country and it is not a part of the People's Republic of China. He said Taiwan and China are mutually independent of each other and do not have cross jurisdiction. He said this is the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and is a fact that cannot be neglected. As a result, the 23 million people of Taiwan cannot accept that Taiwan's name in the organization is to be changed to "China Taiwan" in order to facilitate the entry of China. The president said all the members of the Lions Clubs in Taiwan hope to complete the process of formally using the name "Taiwan" as Taiwan's name in the organization as soon as possible. He said the Taiwan branch of the organization has formally set up a task force to address the name issue.
President Chen stressed that facts are facts, and that it is not appropriate to change the status quo. He said he hopes that Lions Clubs International President Amarasuiya and other leaders in the organization will listen to the voices of the 23 million people of Taiwan. Taiwan absolutely is not a part of China nor is it a province of China. Taiwan hopes it will not be excluded from or belittled in the organization, he said.
During the meeting, President Chen first expressed his appreciation to President Amarasuiya for his long support of and encouragement and assistance to Lions Club International MD 300 Taiwan. He said Lions Clubs International is presently the world's largest international service organization and it is the largest of four international clubs on Taiwan. Many people in Taiwan are members and provide a range of contributions to society. Lions Clubs International, which has a history dating back 90 years, has chapters that are spread throughout 200 countries and areas. The organization has 1.3 million members who make outstanding contributions to the improvement of the wellbeing of mankind.
President Chen praised this year's theme for the organization set by President Amarasuiya -- "Challenge to Change" -- as an excellent one. In fact, he said, we must always face a changing and new environment. Challenges can be rigorous, he said, noting that Taiwan is no exception. The president said that during the past seven or eight years while he has served as president, Taiwan faced a new political environment as a new ruling party came to power. This is an especially difficult challenge for an emerging democratic country. This year, the Taiwan branch of Lions Clubs International has also promoted the theme "Challenge to Change." It has introduced goals such as "Effecting Society" and "Innovative Value." The president said he believes these ideas are extremely far-reaching. For Taiwan, any leader must think of ways to effect society and move the hearts of people. In addition, in order to boost national competitiveness, a nation must also boost its innovative value.
Lions Clubs International President Amarasuiya said that Taiwan is a place full of energy, has made clear strides in democracy and boasts a high level of economic growth. He congratulated President Chen on his outstanding leadership and his efforts that have helped make Taiwan what it is today. President Amarasuiya said he believes that it is a fact that Taiwan is a sovereign nation. As the head of Lions Clubs International, he pledged to listen to the voices of lions on Taiwan and will pay the utmost attention to the handling of the Taiwan name issue. He said he will provide any and all assistance he can under the rules of his organization.