President Chen's response to Pope John Paul's message was delievered to the Pope by Dr. Raymond R.M. Tai, ROC Ambassador to the Holy See. The full text of the response is as follows:
"Your Holiness:
Happy New Year!
Your Holiness' Message for the 36th World Day of Peace for the year 2003, "Pacem in Terris: A Permanent Commitment" has been passed on to me through diplomatic channels.
Indeed, I share Blessed Pope John XXIII's belief in the four pillars of peace: truth, justice, love and freedom. Early in the 1960's, the world lived under the threat of nuclear war due to the erection of the Berlin Wall and later the Cuban missile crisis. Today, with the world still at the brink of war due to the tense situation in the Middle East and the Holy Land, it is hard to imagine how progress can be achieved without the four elements of peace. For this reason, Your Holiness could not have chosen a more appropriate moment to remind humanity of the far-sighted words of Pope John XXIII in noting the importance of human dignity and human rights. As Your Holiness wisely points out in Your Holiness' message, "the question of peace cannot be separated from the question of human dignity and human rights."
In response to Your Holiness' message of peace, I wish to assure Your Holiness that my government and people wholeheartedly support Your Holiness' appeal to world leaders to pursue a just and lasting peace for the whole of mankind. As always, the Republic of China, as a faithful partner of the Holy See, will also offer its strong support to Your Holiness' mission of charity and peace.
As Your Holiness mentioned, "a readiness to settle controversies by peaceful means and a desire for genuine and constructive dialogue are among the elements that constitute the true premises of a lasting peace."
As Your Holiness is aware, the government of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taipei has, on many occasions, extended an olive branch to the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing, urging the resumption of a cross-strait dialogue as soon as possible for the well-being of the people across the Taiwan Strait. Nonethelss, the PRC has currently deployed more than 400 M-6 and M-9 missiles in its coastal provinces aimed at Taiwan. I called on leaders in Beijing to address this issue in my National Day Address on October 10, 2002, with the statement: "On behalf of all citizens of the ROC, I solemnly call upon the leaders of the PRC to immediately remove the 400 missiles that are deployed along the Taiwan Strait, and to openly renounce the use of force against Taiwan." Later, our Parliament unanimously supported my appeal. I hope that Your Holiness will appreciate our "gesture of peace" which "springs from the lives of our people who foster peace first of all in their own hearts." I earnestly wish that the tensions across the Taiwan Strait and on the Korean Peninsula will diminish and the hope for dialogue and peace will grow as time goes on.
The 20th century brought about an information revolution that has changed the lifestyle of mankind. At the beginning of the 21st century, facing numerous conflicts and potential wars, it is time for us to ponder the importance of a new order for humanity. I believe we need a spiritual revolution. We must abandon mistrust and hatred among men, families and nations. We must renew our belief in a culture of mutual confidence and love that will lead to a path of lasting peace.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Holiness the assurance of my highest consideration.