President Lee Teng-hui this morning urges all the Chinese people to work hand-in-hand for accomplishing "the second stage of the Taiwan Experience."
The President makes the remarks in a tea party in honor of members of the Cabinet-level Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission(OCAC) who gather in Taipei for an annual meeting. He thanks them for their concern over the development in Taiwan though they live abroad.
After the first popular presidential election in Chinese history was successfully held in Taiwan this March, the free will of individuals has been fully respected and political democracy is solidly established, thus ushering in a new era of freedom, democracy and prosperity for the Republic of China, President Lee says.
However, President Lee notes, as the nation faces fresh challenges in the coming century, "we must strive together to accomplish the second stage of the Taiwan Experience hand in hand to make even greater achievements."
In politics, President Lee reiterates that efforts will be made to continue the constitutional reforms, thus strengthening governmental institutions to upgrade the quality of political democracy of this country.
In economic development, the ROC will continue striving to become an Asia-Pacific business operations center and construct a liberalized and internationalized economic system for sharpening her competitive edge, the President points out.
Concerning Taiwan-Mainland relations, President Lee notes that Taipei will accord to the principles of "avoiding haste, demonstrating restraint" and "accomplishing step by step the ultimate goal of national unification" to promote positive interaction across the Taiwan Straits in a peaceful and rational manner.
In the diplomatic arena, the ROC will take part in more international organizations and continue her pragmatic diplomacy to win greater international spaces for the 21.3 million people in the Taiwan area, President Lee adds.
President Lee also assures members of the OCAC that the ROC government will do its utmost to take care of the overseas Chinese to reciprocate for their ontributions toward the development of this country.