Vice President Annette Lu departed Taiwan on the evening of January 28 to travel to the Republic of Nauru to attend that nation's celebration marking its 40th anniversary of independence on January 31. The vice president is attending the celebration as President Chen Shui-bian's special envoy. Vice President Lu will also make stops in the Marshall Islands and the Solomon Islands.
Prior to boarding the aircraft that will take her to the region, the vice president waved to those at the airport who were on hand to witness her departure. She also expressed her thanks to the people of Taiwan for their good wishes. At the airport to wish Vice President Lu a good journey were Premier Chang Chun-hsiung and his wife, Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng, Examination Yuan President Yao Chia-wen, Secretary-General to the President Yeh Chu-lan, Foreign Minister James C. F. Huang, Burkina Faso Ambassador to the ROC (Taiwan) Jacques Sawadogo, who is the head of the foreign diplomatic corps here, Marshall Islands Ambassador to the ROC (Taiwan) Alexander Carter Bing and Solomon Islands Ambassador to Taiwan Beraki Jino.
In brief remarks before she boarded the plane, the vice president said that she is serving as President Chen's special envoy in attending the events marking the 40th anniversary of the independence of Nauru. In addition, she said that new leaders have been inaugurated in two other important diplomatic allies in the Pacific region, namely the Marshall Islands and the Solomon Islands, over the past two months. The objective of this trip overseas is to solidify the diplomatic alliances with these nations and also to pay visits on the new leaders of these countries and offer them congratulations from Taiwan. The vice president, on behalf of President Chen, will also extend invitations to these leaders to make state visits to Taiwan at their earliest convenience.