Taipei, Dec. 9 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Monday he was happy and proud that the elections for mayors and city councilors in the island's two largest cities of Taipei and Kaohsiung over the weekend were held without incident.
Chen made the remarks while meeting with a delegation of the American Legion, which arrived in Taipei Sunday for a four-day visit.
The president told his guests that voting and vote counting for the elections had proceeded smoothly without any hitches. "Even more amazingly was that street landscape and everyday life in the two cities have quickly returned to normal after frenzied campaigns, " Chen said, adding all these phenomena indicate that democracy has matured and taken root in Taiwan.
Chen also expressed gratitude for the longtime U.S. support for the Republic of China's cause and for the U.S. concern about security in the Taiwan Strait.
Noting that the longstanding ROC-U.S. friendship lies in their shared values in democracy, freedom and human rights as well as their expectations for regional and world peace, Chen said that continuing to provide Taiwan with weapons by the United States is critical to the protection of the island's hard-won democratic achievements.
With progress in democratization, Chen went on, the ROC's armed forces have been fully nationalized and have stayed away from meddling in electoral affairs.
He further said his administration is pushing for government restructuring under which the current Veterans Affairs Commission (VAC) will be upgraded to offer better services to all retired military service members.
For his part, American Legion National Commander Ronald F. Conley offered his congratulations on Taiwan's democratic advancements. He said the American Legion, the world's-largest veterans organization, will continue to support the ROC's independent sovereign status, democracy and security.
The legion will also keep pushing the U.S. government to sell Taiwan all necessary defensive weapons to defend its national security, Conley said.
Also present at the meeting were American Legion Auxiliary President Elsie Bailey and VAC Chairman Yang Teh-chih.