A forum for "facilitating communication" among the nation's allies and other Pacific and East Asian countries initiated by Vice President Annette Lu (
President Chen Shui-bian (
"I believe that by convening the second [Democratic Pacific] Assembly, we will be able to usher forth the birth of the Democratic Pacific Union in the near future," Chen said in a written congratulatory statement welcoming academics and foreign dignitaries to the three-day assembly, which started yesterday.
The assembly was first held last year to promote democracy, human rights and freedom.
Through seminars and plenary sessions, more than 100 experts and political figures from 24 nations will take part in the assembly to discuss cooperation on a wide range of issues, including regional security, maritime resources, industrial development and technology exchanges, along with the promotion of democracy.
Acknowledging Lu's active promotion of the realization of the assembly, Chen noted that the assembly, having undergone lengthy preparation, "is dedicated to developing an alliance of Pacific Rim democracies and their joint creation of a platform for dialogue and a mechanism for cooperation."
"We hope sincerely that the promotion of soft diplomacy will inspire democratic countries in the Pacific region to establish alliances based on the ideals of security, freedom, democracy and human rights," Chen said.
"That these alliances can be further developed into a security mechanism that can prevent conflicts and wars before they happen," Chen said.
The president will address the assembly's attendants as the keynote speaker during the event's opening ceremony today. The president of El Salvador, Elias Antonio Saca, will be the other keynote speaker at the event, with a speech entitled "A New Vision for the Pacific Era."
Among the dignitaries attending the event include 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Betty Williams, Panamanian Vice President Arturo Vallarino, Vice President of Nicaragua Rizo Castellon and former chairman of the International Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives Benjamin Gilman.
"Through this event, we wish to implement step by step what we have long promoted -- soft national power and a maritime-oriented nation," Lu told reporters after she attended a seminar yesterday, adding that she would have a "surprise announcement" to make during the assembly.
While expressing her anticipation to meet with Hou Ren (
"I believe my meeting Hou Ren will be heart-warming," Lu said. "However, given that [the assembly] is a serious international meeting, I hope everyone will focus attention on the development of the world."
Also see story:
AIR SUPPORT: The Ministry of National Defense thanked the US for the delivery, adding that it was an indicator of the White House’s commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) and Representative to the US Alexander Yui on Friday attended a delivery ceremony for the first of Taiwan’s long-awaited 66 F-16C/D Block 70 jets at a Lockheed Martin Corp factory in Greenville, South Carolina. “We are so proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to support Taiwan’s air defense capabilities,” US Representative William Timmons wrote on X, alongside a photograph of Taiwanese and US officials at the event. The F-16C/D Block 70 jets Taiwan ordered have the same capabilities as aircraft that had been upgraded to F-16Vs. The batch of Lockheed Martin
US President Donald Trump yesterday announced sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" on US trading partners, including a 32 percent tax on goods from Taiwan that is set to take effect on Wednesday. At a Rose Garden event, Trump declared a 10 percent baseline tax on imports from all countries, with the White House saying it would take effect on Saturday. Countries with larger trade surpluses with the US would face higher duties beginning on Wednesday, including Taiwan (32 percent), China (34 percent), Japan (24 percent), South Korea (25 percent), Vietnam (46 percent) and Thailand (36 percent). Canada and Mexico, the two largest US trading
GRIDLOCK: The National Fire Agency’s Special Search and Rescue team is on standby to travel to the countries to help out with the rescue effort A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand yesterday, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. Footage shared on social media from Myanmar’s second-largest city showed widespread destruction, raising fears that many were trapped under the rubble or killed. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake, with an epicenter near Mandalay in Myanmar, struck at midday and was followed by a strong magnitude 6.4 aftershock. The extent of death, injury and destruction — especially in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a civil war and where information is tightly controlled at the best of times —
China's military today said it began joint army, navy and rocket force exercises around Taiwan to "serve as a stern warning and powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence," calling President William Lai (賴清德) a "parasite." The exercises come after Lai called Beijing a "foreign hostile force" last month. More than 10 Chinese military ships approached close to Taiwan's 24 nautical mile (44.4km) contiguous zone this morning and Taiwan sent its own warships to respond, two senior Taiwanese officials said. Taiwan has not yet detected any live fire by the Chinese military so far, one of the officials said. The drills took place after US Secretary
RSS