Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

Ms. Ann K. Cooper, Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, sent a fax letter to President Chen on March 20, 2002, expressing her concern over our country's protection of press freedom. President Chen writes a letter to her today. Full text of his letter follows:

Dear Ms. Cooper:

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your fax letter, dated March 20, 2002, and to offer the following response, for your consideration.

Throughout my political career, I have been an aggressive advocate for human rights, in particular, freedom of speech. History will also show that I have a longstanding record of being an unconditional supporter of freedom of press. As an activist for democratic reform, I became a prisoner of conscience in 1984 after publishing a magazine. Hence, I share your conviction that freedom of speech is an unequivocal, indispensable human right, as do I share your concern over the controversy related to freedom of press and national security in Taiwan. As I have reiterated in my public address on March 25, the essence of democracy should never be quelled under the pretext of national security, nor should the flag of national security be used as a cover for undermining freedom of press.

As a democratically elected President, it is my duty to listen carefully to what the media has to say. At the same time, it is my solemn responsibility, in the international arena, to maintain the security and stability of my country. There is no question that freedom of speech is a

cornerstone of progress in Taiwan society. This point notwithstanding, I think it important to assert—and I trust any journalist of caliber will agree—that freedom of press ought to be self-regulated by a code of ethics and justice. Only by keeping public interests, national interests and commercial interests in equilibrium can the welfare of all the people in a democratic society be served without jeopardizing vital national intelligence work. In the delicate balance between national security and press freedom the protection of one should not compromise—nor be compromised in lieu of —the other.

I took office in May 2000, following nearly half a century of one-party rule; my inauguration marked the first transition of political power in our history. Therefore, let me assure you that my administration will spare no effort in pursuing government reform. Now, more than ever, we are resolute and determined to safeguard the constitutionally sanctioned civil rights of each and every citizen. Our resolve is unwavering as we work to disencumber our government infrastructure from the problems we have inherited from the past, and, to begin to fill the voids by building legal intelligence oversight mechanisms based on the principles of democracy. Such mechanisms include the legislation of our "Government Classified Information Protection Act" and "Government Information Disclosure Act." The goal is to systematically legalize and institutionalize defense and national security bodies.

Furthermore, we remain steadfast in our commitment to advance human rights. Early in my presidency, I declared the resolve to make human rights the foundation of our nation, establishing a Human Rights Task Force to create a National Human Rights Commission. Furthermore, we are urging legislators to incorporate the International Bill of Rights into domestic law. The goal is to integrate Taiwan into the international human rights system.

Step by step, we will continue to nurture and strengthen Taiwan's democratic foundation. It is our mission as public servants to ensure that democratic values become rooted in our society. In the future, those who have dedicated themselves to the task of upholding justice will not have to make a choice as to whose rights should take precedence—one who devotes one's life to seeking the truth, or, one who risks one's life to serve one's country.

Ms. Cooper, I appreciate your candor and commend your organization's achievement in assuring the civil liberties of journalists around the world. May you and your colleagues bear witness to Taiwan's historical "journey to freedom" as we endeavor to become the world's beacon of democracy for the twenty-first century.

Time and again, the viability of our democracy will be tested, and time and again, we will rise to overcome those challenges, using the experience as an opportunity to reflect, reassess and learn. That is the "spirit of Taiwan."

Sincerely yours,

Chen Shui-bian