President Chen Shui-bian (
Sitting in a wheelchair, Havel received the medal at the Presidential Office. The ceremony was also attended by first lady Wu Shu-chen (
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Forced to take a light schedule in Taiwan because of his delicate health, Havel stumbled at the hotel he was staying at and hurt his feet on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said when explaining why Havel needed a wheelchair.
"It is my greatest honor to meet with a world-class writer, thinker, political leader and noble dissident. I am deeply sorry for Mr. Havel's injured feet and offer my apologies. I wish our guest can recover as soon as possible," Chen Shui-bian said after bestowing the medal on Havel.
The president expressed gratitude for Havel's public support for Taiwan's participation in the UN during the world body's general assembly in 1995.
"Our guest today has a deep understanding of universal values such as human rights. He said `human life, human freedom and human dignity represent higher values than state sovereignty' and that `while the state is a human creation, human beings are the creation of God.' I highly admire his thoughts," Chen Shui-bian added.
Havel said that although the Czech Republic is far away from Taiwan, they have many things in common.
"We are both democratic states. I admire the people of Taiwan and the economic development here," he said.
"It was my bad luck that I got hurt. I often get hurt when visiting other countries. It is not Taiwan's fault," Havel said.
"Although Taiwan faces a difficult situation in the international community, its people have been courageous. I believe Taiwan should join the UN. I supported Taiwan's entrance to the UN in the past. I still support its participation in the UN and will do so in the future," Havel said.
Havel gave his only public speech in Taiwan at the National Central Library on globalization and the future of democracy yesterday afternoon.
Mark Chen, Czech Republic's representative to Taiwan Michal Kral, Maysing Yang (
Chiu, whose university performed Havel's drama The Increased Difficulty of Concentration for him on Sunday, said although the play shows the influence of the theater of the absurd, Havel does not exhibit the despair writers who try to catch the sense of the absurd usually betray.
"The play highlights modern people's emptiness and complicated lives. Havel is obsessed with words, yet he strongly distrusts words. He uses a lot of cliches in the play. These cliches contain deep meanings," Chiu said.
"No matter what he went through, he never stopped writing. Havel believes a writer should not confine his whole time to literary creation only -- that would hurt literature. For him, a writer is the conscience of the society. He is a writer and a statesman," Havel said.
Havel received a standing ovation as he entered into the library's packed auditorium in a wheelchair. Thanking the kindness of his host, the TFD, Havel said he has traveled to more than 50 countries in different continents and that he found the world is struggling to find a new order.
"I am trying to realize what is the most important element in this new order," Havel said. "People should respect each other and not force others to change their views. Everyone is absolutely equal."
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS