President Lee Teng-hui this morning meets with former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen and extends a warm welcome to his American guest.
In exchanging views on the recent economic development of the Republic of China, President Lee tells Mr. Bentsen that the ROC's economic growth rate in 1996 will be 5.7 percent, while the target growth rate for next year will be over 6 percent, though unemployment climbs up a bit.
Mr. Bentsen, also a former long-time congressman for nearly 30 years before being appointed as treasury secretary in 1993, says that the ROC's economic performance, when compared with the U.S. and European countries, is quite admirable. He adds that, having visited here four times,he is greatly impressed by the ROC's economic prosperity and social stability.
In discussing this country's economic prospects, President Lee points out that the ROC, to attract more foreign investment, is making all efforts to become an Asian-Pacific Regional Operations Center. Toward this end, all undue laws and regulations will be revised and the infrastructure, both software and hardware, will be further improved. Having gone through the "bubble economy" in 70's, the ROC is marching forward steadily and robustly, the President notes.
Accompanied by Mr. Tzen Wen-hua, Vice Foreign Minister, Mr. Bentsen comes to the Office of the President for the meeting. Dr. Ding Mou-shih, Secretary-General of the National Security Council, and Mr. Stephen S. F. Chen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of the Preisdent, are also present.