President Lee Teng-hui, in meeting with a nine-member Canadian congressional delegation, says that the Republic of China and Canada should work together for even closer exchange and cooperation in the fields of telecommunications, fishery, trade, agriculture and culture .
The President also tells his guests that during his four-year tenure he is committed to judicial, educational, administrative and cultural reforms to complete the "second stage of the Taiwan experience" which until now has largely revolved around economic development and political democracy.
In reply to questions on Taiwan-Chinese mainland relations, President Lee reiterates that though unification remains the time-honored goal of the ROC, it can only be achieved under the principle of freedom, democracy and equitabe prosperity. "Those countries that don't respect freedom, democracy, or the well-being of their people are the most backward in the world," he notes.
President Lee also expresses his appreciation to the government and congress of Canada for their firm support last March when the Chinese Communists launched war games in waters off Taiwan in an attempt to threaten the ROC's first direct presidential election.
Accompanied by ROC Vice Foreign Minister Chen Chien-jen, the visiting Canadian parliamentary delegation calls on President Lee at the Office of the President. Dr. Ding Mou-shih, Secretary-General of the ROC National Security Council, and Mr. Stephen S.F. Chen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of the President, are also present at the meeting.
The Canadian guests include Mr. John M. Buchanan (Senator, PC-NS), Mr. and Mrs. Rex Crawford (MP, L-ONT), Mr. and Mrs. Osvaldo Nunez (MP, BQ-OUE),Mr. and Mrs. Alex Shepherd (MP, L-ONT), Mr. Claude Bachand (MP, BQ-QUE), and Mr. Lorne Bonnel (MP, L-PEI).