Taipei, June 19 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian on Tuesday reaffirmed the long-standing relations between the Republic of China and Nicaragua when he received Enrique Bolanos Geyer, a candidate from the ruling party for the November presidential election in the Central American nation.
President Chen said he was happy to meet with Bolanos again. This is the third time that Bolanos has visited the ROC. His previous two visits came in 1998 and 2000.
The president noted that the two nations have always maintained close and solid relations, adding that Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman visited the ROC for Chen's inaugural ceremony in May 2000, and that Chen had led a delegation to visit Nicaragua in August 2000.
The president also expressed his appreciation for Nicaragua's staunch support for the ROC in the international community.
Chen said that Nicaragua will hold its presidential election on November 4, and he hoped Bolanos, who will represent the Nicaraguan ruling party, the Liberal Constitutional Party, would win. Chen lauded Bolanos' wisdom and rich experience in politics.
Chen also told Bolanos that opinion polls can only be relied on for reference and that the outcome of the vote is impossible to predict.
Chen cited his own experience as an example to say that during the presidential election last year, public polls only put him in second or third place among the three major candidates.