Taipei, Aug. 7 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Tuesday that he hopes to travel to Denmark in November to receive in person a prize from the Liberal International organization.
In a meeting with a group of visiting Canadian parliamentarians, Chen said that the "2001 Prize for Freedom" granted to him by the Liberal International is an acknowledgment of the Taiwan people's achievements in democracy and that he is more than willing to collect it in person.
Promising to do everything possible to make the trip, the president said it would be a great pity if he is shut out of Copenhagen because of pressure from Beijing.
The Liberal International decided to award the prize to Chen earlier this year to honor his "outstanding contribution to freedom and liberalism in Taiwan."
Chen also hoped Ottawa to follow Washington's suit in granting him a visa for transit stops. Although this would inevitably draw protests from Beijing, Chen said, Canada should "do what it thinks right."
As for ties between Taipei and Ottawa, Chen called for the conclusion of an accord to avoid double taxation, saying it would clear the way for economic exchanges.
He also appealed for visa-free status for short term Taiwan visitors to Canada, since Taiwan has already granted similar privileges to Canadian tourists.
Noting that several Republic of China officials have been denied access to Canada recently, Chen called on Ottawa to lift its prohibition on visas to Taiwan senior officials, which he said has seriously hindered the exchanges of high-level officials between the two sides.
He expressed thanks for Ottawa's support for the island's bids to join the World Trade Organization, and expressed hope that support will be expanded to the island's attempts to join the World Health Organization, because "there should be no boundaries for medical cooperation and healthcare cooperation" and the world suffers by excluding the island from the WHO.
Chen also urged Canada to concern itself more aggressively with peace across the Taiwan Strait.