President Chen Shui-bian decorated this morning Salvadoran National Assembly speaker Ciro Cruz Zepeda Pena with the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon, honoring his longtime efforts in promoting relations between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Salvador.
President Chen introduced Speaker Zepeda saying that the trip marks his second visit to Taiwan since February 2001. Mr. Zepeda's scheduled plan to participate in the National Day celebration of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) this October was hampered by the eruption of the Santa Ana Volcano in the Republic of El Salvador, Hurricane Stan, and earthquakes that caused deaths of 71 residents and injuring thousands of others, and damaging the country's infrastructure and agriculture. The trip was delayed as a result. The President expressed his concerns for the damages done and the lives lost in the disasters. President Chen said that the R.O.C. (Taiwan) began providing relief efforts for El Salvador on October 5 and was the first foreign country to do so. He also phoned President Elías Antonio Saca on October 11 expressing condolences on behalf of the Taiwanese people. President Chen said the country should now be on its way to recovery under the leadership of the Salvadoran government. The President recalled his trip to El Salvador in May 2001 when he attended the third Summit of the Heads of States and Governments of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Central America in the wake of a series of devastating earthquakes that wrecked havoc earlier in the year and said the country was almost fully recovered by the time he arrived, which showed the high efficiency of the Salvadoran government.
President Chen thanked the Salvadoran parliament for passing in October a resolution demonstrating their grave concern for peace across the Taiwan Strait after China adopted an "anti-separation law." The President meanwhile expressed his special gratitude toward Mr. Zepeda on behalf of the Taiwanese people for his staunch support for Taiwan during a United Nations convention of world parliamentary heads. The President expressed his hope that the R.O.C. (Taiwan) and El Salvador would strengthen economic and trade ties by signing a free trade agreement that will bring benefits to both sides and help exploring the North American market.