President, advisers hold secret meeting

The unexpected meeting, organized by the National Security Council, focused on economic, cross-strait and diplomatic issues yesterday and will discuss other general issues today.

Local cable news stations showed Chen arriving at the resort, where Vice President Annette Lu, Economics Minister Lin Yi-fu, and the Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, were also gathered.

Smilingly, Chen told reporters he and other officials were there for a “vacation” and declined further comment when asked if he will pick Vice President Annette Lu as his running mate in the 2004 presidential election.

Chiou I-jen, secretary general of the council, said he will brief reporters today after the brainstorming meeting on the issues discussed.

But Chiou reiterated that the meeting is not aimed at

any specific issues or policies. Military issues are not on the agenda, he said.

A source at the Presidential Office said the meeting opened in the afternoon at Ta Shee Resort in Taoyuan County, not far from Taipei, and will end around noonish today.

The meeting gathered officials from the National Security Council, the Cabinet and relevant government departments as well as elite members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party to review all the challenges facing Taiwan both at home and abroad and to work out strategies to cope with them, the sources said.

“The meeting is well-planned and would focus on economy-centered development strategies,” a Presidential Office official said on condition of anonymity.

“The meeting is not aimed at working out strategies for any specific issue. As it has nothing to do with military issues, no military official is present,” he added.

According to the official, President Chen decided to hold the meeting because he thinks Taiwan’s national development has come to a crossroads, with regional and international circumstances changing rapidly.

Taiwan has been closely watching developments in the mainland, where President Jiang Zemin is expected to retire at the Communist Party’s annual congress in the autumn.

“With a view to consolidating Taiwan’s democratic achievements, defending its national security and maintaining sustainable economic development, President Chen wants to formulate new national development strategies based on comprehensive planning,” the official said.

Major topics discussed included revitalizing the economy, consolidating the island’s young democracy and upgrading national security, the official said, adding that issues related to diplomacy, relations across the Taiwan Strait as well as political and economic reforms were all high on the agenda.

On Sunday afternoon, the official said, Chen will also chair a meeting at the Presidential Office to review progress in carrying out various projects recommended by the high-profile Economic Development Advisory Conference held a year ago.

In an attempt to revive a sagging economy, Chen organized an high-profile summit last summer, which brought together top presidential advisers and social elites from both the ruling and the opposition.

The conference arrived at an array of conclusions, on top of which are plans to ease up Taiwan’s regulations governing cross-strait economic and financial exchanges.

Earlier this month, the government said the island’s chipmakers can start applying for investment in the mainland.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email