Remarks by the Vice President
Today marks the second general session of the Preparatory Committee for the Centenary Celebrations of the Republic of China. I deeply appreciate that committee members have taken time out of their busy schedules to be here. We've been working hard in the six months since the first general session, and some of our celebratory activities are beginning to take shape. Various reports will be delivered today that will shed light on the progress that has been made. Most importantly, I hope that the wisdom and experience of all committee members will be on full display at this stage. We have also specially invited government agencies responsible for holding various activities to appear today to hear the suggestions brought forth by committee members.
I have met with members of the preparatory task force a number of times over the past half year to discuss planning work with committee members, and our talks have yielded enormous results. Committee members have enthusiastically provided meaningful suggestions covering a wide range of issues, such as overall concept, marketing and publicity, historical perspective, ethnic concerns, participation by the public, environmental protection and green energy, religious diversity, arts and culture, and visions for the future.
The series of activities to mark the ROC's centenary will take a look back at the past century of history, honing in on the nation's strength and cultural soft power. This will enable the local public and the international community to realize the value of Taiwan's development. It will also forge a consensus among the public and inject hope and dreams, creating a developmental vision for the future. At this point we see the celebratory activities to be divided into three main parts. The first will focus on the past, namely an interpretation of history by the entire people, the second will be on the present (enabling the world to see Taiwan), and the third will focus on the future (moving together into the future). The content of these activities will be quite broad and will combine resources of the central and local governments and the private sector. We hope that the public will enthusiastically take part.
The logo for the centenary celebrations was formally unveiled by President Ma on March 29. The number "100" represents the idea of "perfection," and also constitutes an important part of the main slogan for the activities – "Republic of China Centennial." This is the result of repeated discussions by design experts, creative personnel, and persons involved in the artistic and cultural communities.
We have reached a conclusion in the basic planning work for the various celebratory activities and are now embarking on more detailed planning for the specific activities. I hope that the activities held by the government and the private sector will be systematically presented to society. It is important that the public takes part in this gala event and joins in the celebration. Once we conclude the various plans, I intend to go around Taiwan to publicize the events and also communicate face-to-face with government officials, private groups, and other bodies planning the various events to ask for their advice, and hope that these joint efforts will ensure that the activities are a success. Thank you all for your assistance.