Taipei, July 31 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Wednesday that his administration will continue to push for judicial reforms even though there has been much improvement recently.
Chen made the remarks while meeting with visiting Panamanian Supreme Court of Justice President Adan Arnulfo Arjona, who arrived in Taiwan Sunday for a five-day goodwill visit.
The lawyer-turned president noted that both the Republic of China and Panama have moved from authoritarianism to democracy, adding that in the process of democratization, the independence of judicial agencies, the nationalization of the military and the institutionalization of intelligence systems are priority tasks to be undertaken by the government.
Whether a country is a genuine democracy or not hinges on if there is a sound education on the rule of law in that nation and if its judicial agencies can make judgments independently, Chen said.
Noting that in the ROC, the Council of Grand Justices is the defender of the Constitution, Chen said the council can give vitality to the sometimes dry text of constitutional law, thereby paving the way for the country's judicial reforms.
Chen attributed Taiwan's democratic achievements, such as direct presidential elections, mainly to joint efforts by the public and private sectors. The president said he especially admired the grand justices for their devotion to making constitutional interpretations required for fostering such reforms.
During the meeting, President Chen asked Arjona to convey his sincere greetings to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso and his heartfelt gratitude to Panama for its long-term support of the ROC in the international community.
He also said he hoped that Arjona can take advantage of his visit to gain a better understanding of Taiwan's achievements in various fields, especially the promotion of the rule of law and the formation of judicial personnel.
For his part, Arjona told President Chen that it is a great pleasure for him to visit Taiwan and added that he hopes the ROC will extend its cooperation ties with Panama to the judicial field to share its experiences in judicial reforms with the Central American nation.