Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) Honorary Chairman Lien Chan has been
granted an honorary doctor's degree from Xiamen University in
southeastern China's Fujian Province.
Xiamen University President Zhu Chongshi presented a diploma to
Lien before Lien made a speech to 3,000 students and teachers on
Wednesday afternoon.
Lien is not only a prominent statesman but also a leading
scholar who has accomplished outstanding academic achievements,
publishing many political works and educating dozens of scholars in
this field, Zhu said.
Lien visited the mainland last April, making important
contributions to the peace and development of the Chinese nation. A
year later, Lien attended the Cross-Straits Economic and Trade
Forum in Beijing, to promote economic and trade cooperation across
the Taiwan Straits.
Over 50 years ago, many graduates from Xiamen University went to
Taiwan and played an important role in the island's construction
and development, Zhu said.
"The university has carried out many cross-Straits academic
exchange programs over the last 20 years. Granting an honorary
doctor's degree to Lien will improve such exchange programs as well
as the development of cross-Straits ties," Zhu said.
In his speech, Lien recalled history and cultural relations
between himself, his family and Xiamen University. "Conveying
Chinese culture from generation to generation is our common
responsibility," Lien said.
Lien strongly criticized secessionist movements in Taiwan,
making reference to the incident where the island's textbooks were
tampered with. "The inbred Chinese culture cannot be destroyed, no
matter what anyone does," he said.
"The cross-Straits exchange of culture is the most basic and
powerful exchange, with which all issues between the two sides can
be resolved," he said, calling for closer ties in the fields of
culture and history.
Lien arrived in Fujian on Monday evening after attending the
forum in Beijing from April 14 to 15. He also met with President Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist
Party of China Central Committee.
On Wednesday morning, Lien paid homage to his ancestors in Maqi
Village in Zhangzhou, a city in Fujian.
(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2006)
