Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) Vice President Annette Lu on Monday called for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to live together peacefully while giving her congratulations on the national day of the People's Republic of China on behalf of the people of Taiwan.

Lu made the appeal in an interview conducted by the "Voice of America" Monday morning and aired by the radio station Tuesday.

According to a press release issued by the Presidential Office, the vice president expressed the hope via the "Voice of America" that while celebrating the founding anniversary, the PRC will not forget its responsibility and appearance as a big country, adding that it should make contributions to peace and progress in the Asia-Pacific region.

Lu also said that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should live together peacefully without fighting against each other and share the results of cooperation because they are close neighbors and distant relatives with the same blood relationship.

Meanwhile, the vice president said that it is worthwhile to learn regional development experiences from the European Union, American regional organizations as well as the newly-established African Union.

Lu also said that instead of confrontations, the Asian countries should give up their differences and cooperate in order to proceed toward regional integration.

The vice president noted that the arrival of the new century of globalization has demonstrated the out-dated historical view of territorial sovereignty and that citizens' sovereignty should replace national sovereignty.

Lu emphasized that civil society is the foundation of the social mainstream in the 21st century, adding that nations exist for the people rather than people existing for the nation. She noted that people welcome the prosperity and progress derived from regional integration and reject the grief and destruction derived from big countries oppressing smaller countries.