President Chen Meets Paraguayan Provincial Governors
Taipei, June 6 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian received the delegation of Paraguayan provincial governors Thursday at the Presidential Office and praised Paraguay for the development progress it has achieved, as well as the performance of its national football team in the 2002 World Cup.
Chen noted that he visited Paraguay for the first time in 1980s when he was a Taipei city councilor and that he observed the great progress made by the South American nation last year when he visited again in his capacity as president of the Republic of China.
He lauded the Paraguayan national team for its performance in the World Cup being held in Korea and Japan and wished it great success.
The president said that he shares the glory and happiness of the Paraguayan government and people.
He also exchanged points of view on local government operations with his visitors and said that relations between central and local governments should be those of partnerships. "The era of the central authoritarian regime is over," he went on.
In response, Victor Paniagua, governor of Amambay Province and head of the seven-member delegation, praised the ROC's progress and stressed that the local autonomy implemented in Taiwan sets an example for Paraguay.
The delegation arrived in Taipei June 4 for a five-day visit.