After serving as minister without portfolio for six years and successively filling the posts of mayor of Taipei and governor of Taiwan Province in the next six years, I was appointed vice president by President Chiang Ching-kuo.Four years later, when Chiang Ching-kuo died, I assumed office as president pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution.God only knows why a person like me was singled out by Chiang Ching-kuo for promotion and became president.
ーYou have carried out drastic reforms one after another, such as retiring “permanent assembly members” and changing the presidential election into a direct election.
Since I was originally a scholar, I had neither power, money, nor factions.Under such conditions, I faced many difficulties in pursuing reforms. I was barely able to sleep.In domestic terms, I had to fight vested interest groups. Externally, there was the issue of the mainland China.
When faced with these difficult situations, I always took up the Bible.I would first say a prayer to God, open the Bible to a random page, and read the passage where my finger happened to point, trying to interpret the passage in my own way to obtain God’s guidance.That God exists at a height beyond me and is available for help.Such faith provides tremendous strength and support to a national leader because he is engaged in a lonely fight on which the future of the country depends.
ーWhat do you think of the relationship between Japan and Taiwan?
Japan had been cold toward Taiwan for a long time.But the relationship gradually improved as Mr. Ryotaro Shiba wrote an account of his visit to Taiwan in his travelogue series and Mr. Mineo Nakajima opened the Asia Open Forum.
Recently, Prime Minister Abe referred to Taiwan as “a friend of Japan” on Facebook, followed by the conclusion of a long-awaited fisheries agreement.These episodes represent efforts to give concrete form to the Japan-Taiwan relationship, which had remained at a superficial level for 40 years.
The task that remains is to establish a Japanese version of the Taiwan Relations Act.Since the rupture of diplomatic relations with the Republic of China following the establishment of a diplomatic relationship with mainland China, Japan has had no legal basis for Japan-Taiwan exchanges to this date.I would like Japan to follow the example set by the United States, which enacted the Taiwan Relations Act as civil law and maintains diplomatic relations with our country.Such legislation will lay a solid foundation in creating a new order in the Far East through the alliance of Japan, the United States, and Taiwan.
[Lee Teng-hui]
Born in Tamsui, Taihoku Prefecture in 1923.Graduated from old-system Taipei High School and studied at Kyoto Imperial University, Faculty of Agriculture.Joined the Army as part of students’ departure to the front and returned to Taiwan after the war. Assumed office as minister without portfolio in 1972.Filled various posts such as Mayor of Taipei and Vice President before assuming office as president following the decease of President Chiang Ching-kuo in 1988.Won the presidential election in 1990 and the first direct election in 1996 to serve as president for 12 years.
photo：Keishi Asaoka
*Japanese version
