Vice President Lu,

Congratulations on the election, and we'd like to ask you a few questions.

1. First of all, we'd like to know what are your feelings at this time, as the inauguration is only less than one week away?

Lu: To tell you the truth, there's no excitement at all. So many things preoccupy my time and my mind. All I feel is a bunch of obligations and duties and I hope I can fulfill it during my four years term.

2. What types of obligations and duties do you feel at this time?

Lu: There are internal problems. There are also external problems. In particular, the relationship between Taiwan and China needs to be improved and eventually, we hope we can have a peaceful and happy resolution.

3. What is your idea on how to improve the situation between Taiwan and China?

Lu: Well, we do have plenty of ideas, but the point is, it looks like the Chinese leaders in Beijing are not that responsive to our opinions. For example, we emphasize that since the Taiwanese people decided to let the KMT step-down from office, and for the 55-year ruling party to have its powers transferred upon us, it's time for the leaders in Beijing to also welcome a new era for the relationship between Taiwan and China. But it seems that so far, Beijing leaders are not aware of that. Their position still remains the same. Their minds are still as old-fashioned as before.

4. You just mentioned that there were also some internal problems. Can you please elaborate on these?

Lu: Certainly there is problem of governmental budget deficit, there is problem between the central government and local government, there is problem regarding corruption and crimes and the environment, so on and so forth, just like any other nation on Earth.

5. Since your background is in law, we were wondering what could be done to make the laws in Taiwan even more democratic for the people and to further preserve human rights?

Lu: First of all, we should conduct judicial reform as soon as possible. President Lee Teng-hui in his final days of service admitted what he hasn't really achieved is judicial reform. So much litigation and so much corruption and also political involvement with judicial power, so for the new government, we sincerely hope to launch judicial reform as soon as possible, to install judicial integrity so that everybody respects the law, and also to assure equality before the law. In the past, there were privileged people who always abused the law, and it simply is not correct. So we want to assure the integrity, the dignity of justice. It's very important.

6. You mentioned that corruption is a problem. What are some ways that you think will be effective in overcoming this problem?

Lu: Yes, to start with, fight against corruption. We should stop entirely the practice of vote buying. In the past decade, vote buying has become common practice. I'm ashamed to say so, however, the KMT bribed in nearly each election. If a candidate bribes and gets elected, certainly he'll have to do something illegal to make money to reimburse what he spent in the campaign. However, for the DPP candidate, most of us certainly are against it and we spend tremendously less on elections. Therefore once we get elected, we do not have any burden to get money for compensation. Then we feel much more free to conduct our duty and I think stopping entirely the practice of vote buying is important.

Actually, it was I who started such a campaign against vote buying as early as 1989. With the failure of some of the presidential candidates in this election, one should take the vision that vote buying is no good in the future. I think judicial power should also take an active role in stopping vote buying as well. If anyone is caught vote buying, he should be severely sentenced. I hope that in the near future, such bad practice can be totally stopped. Other than this, certainly judicial reform is also very important in fighting against corruption. Anyone who is caught of corruption should be sentenced before the law.

7. Currently, Taiwan has few official diplomatic ties with other nations. What is a way that you can see to peacefully overcome or resolve the situation?

Lu: Yes, among the 193 nations on earth, we only have 29 diplomatic ties. Certainly it is not enough for us. However, we understand that it is not easy for the new administration to correct all the mistakes to make improvement in one day. In the past, Taiwan has not only been forgotten, it has also been discriminated for so long.

Thanks to the victory of the people on March 18, for the first time ever in the history of Taiwan, it has attracted so much attention internationally. Taiwan has earned tremendous respect globally so we cherish all the achievement and credit. And once the new administration takes office, we will certainly work together closely and harmoniously so that the new image of Taiwan would be better conveyed. We want to promote so-called "soft power" because compared to China and many other nations, Taiwan is a tiny nation. However, in terms of the quality of citizen, quality of education, the good experiences of our democracy, and the quality of high-tech industry, Taiwan certainly is proud to be one of the best members of the international community.

In particular, most recently, Taiwanese people learned from the international friendship and generosity throughout the earthquake disaster. It's time for the Taiwanese to share our humanitarian assistance, our generosity with the rest of the world. So I certainly would like to take the lead so that the Taiwanese can generously share what we have. We are not takers. We would rather be a very good giver and share with all the soft powers for soft diplomacy. We will win more substantial friendship. And eventually, I am sure, more diplomatic ties will be built up.

8. What is your first or most important priority after becoming Vice President?

Lu: Well, there are many priorities, and it all depends on what President Chen would command me to do, would allow me to do, or ask me to do. So, I'm ready for anything. I'm good in foreign affairs as well as in domestic affairs. I'm most sympathetic to women's rights. I am also sympathetic to environmental problems as well.

9. What is the most meaningful activity that you have participated in personally?

Lu: There are so many. I spent nearly three years for the struggle of women's rights and now I, on behalf of the women in Taiwan, will enter into the Presidential Office as a milestone for women here, and women are excited about it. Not only that, one quarter of the cabinet members will be good quality, capable women. So one can expect the new administration in Taiwan to be on an equal basis. Not only so, I am also concerned with the rights of many minority groups, the handicapped, the aboriginal people, and so on and so forth.

10. Safety in Taiwan is relatively important. What are your ideas on safety for the women in Taiwan?

Lu: Fighting against crimes is certainly one of our priorities in the following four years. In particular, to protect, to render shelter for the safety of women and children is one of our priorities as well. During my service in the county of Taoyuan, in fact I did a lot of work to protect women and children. For instance, for primary school, I have school buses for the young children in and out of campus. And we have set up a shelter center for women and children who have been brutally beaten. And certainly we have defense courses for children and women everywhere. And now I will become the Vice President. Certainly my concern will be nationwide. So, first of all, I would like to spend some time visiting county after county to really take a look to see what practice of the law has been implemented. And I want to recruit more women, I mean police women. I think it's women who can really take good care of women. And certainly we should recruit more female medical doctors to take care of women's health, and certainly we should educate women to be more alert of the crisis of insecurity and to train children to be able to defend themselves.

11. Well, peace is a topic that many people care about. What is a way you feel for Taiwan to be involved in world peace activities?

Lu: Yes, I think Taiwan itself is a good example for world peace. In the past hundred years, the Taiwanese have never created any trouble for the world. We have never launched a war, and we would never, either. Peace is a virtue. Peace is a common practice. At least peace is educated to everybody. Especially, peace should be educated to the mind of all politicians that world peace can really be achieved.

In 1995, a week before the United Nations held the 4th Women's Conference in Beijing, in fact, I hosted another women's conference in Taipei called "Women's Summit for Global Peace." I invited distinguished women leaders from different countries to gather here in Taipei. We spent two days together studying the mistakes, the fallacies of male politics and we noticed that many male leaders in fact are very much in favor of fighting among people. In the course of education, boys are educated to fight to solve the problem, and girls are educated to be tolerant, to be patient, and to love, not to hate. So really, if we want to enrich the culture of peace, if we want to enhance peace on earth, let's have more women join world affairs, not just limit women in the small area called the kitchen. If women can clean up the kitchen, women certainly can clean up society and clean up the whole world.

So I would say, it's time for women to share more responsibility for the enhancement of world peace, and in particular, I am proud to tell you something. After May 20, Taiwan will have more women's voices loudly spoken out on behalf of Taiwanese. I myself certainly will not become a voiceless Vice President. And the one in charge of our Council of Mainland Affairs, Professor Tsai Ing-wen, is a very intellectual woman. Very frankly, she will speak on behalf of Taiwan regarding so-called "cross strait" issues. So, from now on, women's voices, women's smiles, and women's wisdom will become part of Taiwanese leadership. I hope the leaders in Beijing get ready for the new message from Taiwanese women as well as from Taiwanese men.

12. You mentioned about doing peace education, which is very important. Can you talk in more detail about this subject?

Lu: Well, if one looks at the textbook for children, particularly some of the videotapes, the stories, all this disturbs us. So many stories about sex and violence. And almost the same, men are the abusers of sex and violence, and women are the victims of sex and violence. That's totally, that's wrong for education. Let's correct all the mistakes. Let's educate children regardless of their gender, to respect one another, to give up violence and to respect peace. And besides, it's time for us to also review whether we should worship a hero as much as we have been doing. If we respect too much hero, that means we encourage another war. It is time for us to think about all this failure and if we can create another value system for the development of peace. I think peace can better be achieved.

13. Can you let us know some of your personal experiences on justice?

Lu: I have so much to say. As I said, 30 years ago, I started to advocate the women's movement. It took me 30 years, and I can proudly share with you, now in Taiwan, female students and male students are almost 50/50 in each level of school. And economically, women occupy half of the labor market. More and more women have careers, and some of them even become entrepreneurs. Besides, socially, more and more independent women enjoy freedom and democracy, and independence from marriage, from social bondage.

Politically, I will become the first female Vice President in 5,000 years of Chinese history. Besides, in Taipei City, over one-third of the seats of the city council are occupied by women. And the speaker of the Taipei City Council is a woman. And in the congress, nearly 20 percent are female legislators. That is really a record among world nations. Overall, women's status has been tremendously promoted in the past three decades along with the democratization of Taiwan, and certainly as one who promotes the women's movement, I certainly feel comfortable and proud of all the achievements.

14. Earlier, we were talking about peace between people. If we take a look at this in a wider view, and look at peace between country to country, what type of activities or programs would you promote?

Lu: I think exchange programs, culturally, economically, and academically, among people are very important, and is the fundamental step. If we can encourage more exchange programs, people can become closer and closer and even feel they are sisters and brothers regardless of nationality or race. Besides, I think leaders of different countries should also have opportunities to make acquaintances and friendship and the world should keep their eyes open for wherever there will be disputes, or wherever there will be war. No one can stay aside from global society by simply closing their eyes, by simply denying the possibility of any crisis.

For instance, if there is crisis, there is possibility that an irrational confrontation between Beijing and Taipei might take place at some date. Please, all the leaders, all the people who consent to world peace, say something to the Chinese authority. Ask the leaders in Beijing to be patient, be tolerant and be smart. Don't think of anything called war to solve any problem. War can not solve problem. On the contrary, war simply creates more complicated problem at too high a price. So, please urge all the leaders in Beijing if ever they have any idea to launch a war against Taiwan, to give up such an idea. Taiwanese people are absolutely friendly. We would be more than happy to shake hands with you to enhance peace for substantial development between Taiwan and China.

15. The goals of AWC are to promote world peace, promote economic and social justice, to balance the environment, and maintain the environment for future generations. Can you give us your comments on this?

Lu: I certainly admire all the spirit and function and goal of AWC and I appreciate the association and interest of AWC in what's going on in Taiwan, and in particular, the significance of the people's victory on March 18. With the result of the people's victory, certainly I will lead our people to share with you the responsibility and the dignity of promoting peace, whatever we could. And I'm sure peace should start wherever it's possible, regardless of nationality, regardless of religion, and regardless of race, and inviting the support and participation from small nations is as important as from big nations. So I think it's time to invite the participation and contribution of Taiwanese people with AWC.

16. Vice President Lu, I have one last question, which is, would you like to share something else about yourself with the international audience?

Lu: Well, I am Annette Lu, founder of the women's movement, and I am happy to share with you that Taiwan would reach gender equality in terms of political leadership on May 20. I've been one of the few fighters after 20 years of struggle for democratization for human rights in Taiwan. Also, I proudly share with you the achievement that we have made because we will peacefully take over the 55-year regime from the KMT and we certainly will represent the people on Taiwan, to implement diplomacy and to enhance world peace and to participate in international humanitarian activities.

Vice President Lu, thank you very much for your time today.

The opinions contained in this report are those of the interviewee and does not necessarily represent the views of this organization.