Taipei, May 15 (CNA) ROC President Chen Shui-bian said Wednesday that national dignity should be respected if both Taiwan and South Korea want to restore suspended aviation relations.
He made the remarks while receiving South Korean National Assemblyman Jun Yong Won, who is also chairman of the Health and Welfare Committee of the legislature.
Chen expressed his thanks to the visitor for his efforts to promote substantive relations between South Korea and Taiwan over the past years.
The president said that the Republic of China maintains close economic and trade relations with South Korea.
He noted that two-way trade between the two countries topped US$13 billion in 2000 and still reached the US$10 billion level last year amid a global economic slowdown that year.
In view of the close economic and trade relations, Chen said that the two countries should resume the ministerial-level talks as soon as possible.
Regarding the resumption of aviation ties, the president stressed that national dignity should be respected and mutual benefit be upheld.
He also said that Taiwan and South Korea should step up visits by government officials and lawmakers as it would be helpful to the maintenance of security and peace in the Asia-Pacific area.
The visitor called on Chen at the Presidential Office, accompanied by Peter Cheng, director of the Asian-Pacific Affairs Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.