Liu Shyh-Fang Visited Master Cheng Yen to Express Her Gratitude and Look Forward to Continuing Close Cooperation with Tzu Chi.

Minister Liu Shyh-Fang of the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) led Director General Hsiao Huan-Chang of National Fire Agency, Director General Lin Chen-Lu of Department of Religious and Ceremonial Affairs, and Commissioner Chen Bai-Lu of Hualien County Police Bureau to visit Master Cheng Yen at the Hualien Jing Si Abode yesterday (15th). They had in-depth exchanges with Tzu Chi Foundation and Tzu Chi Charity Foundation executives (Vice President Lin Pi-Yu of Tzu Chi Foundation, Executive Director Yen Po-Wen, Deputy Executive Director Hsiung Shih-min and Deputy Executive Director Chang Tsung-Yi of Tzu Chi Charity Foundation, former Minister of Transportation and Communications Tsai Tui, and Lu Fang-Chuan of Tzu Chi Development Office attended the meeting).

Minister Liu Shyh-Fang expressed her gratitude to Master Cheng Yen and the Tzu Chi for their full support of the government's disaster prevention, relief, and sheltering, including training 14,000 disaster relief volunteers (Tzu Chi accounts for 1/10 out of a total of 110,000 trained nationwide). She looked forward to continuing cooperation to expand training. She also mentioned her visit to Hawaii early this year. The state government specifically mentioned Tzu Chi's full support after the Maui wildfires, expressing their heartfelt gratitude.

Minister Liu Shyh-Fang expressed her special gratitude to Tzu Chi members, saying that they are always the first to show up at the scene for help whenever a major accident occurs. For the three typhoons and the landslide dam accident in Hualien this year, Tzu Chi volunteers were there working tirelessly day and night, braving scorching sun and torrential rain, to rescue those in distress. They have consistently served as the strongest support for the public sector in charitable and medical fields. Banqiao Jing Si Hall participated in the disaster prevention collaboration center drill for the first time. When a major accident occurs somewhere, the efforts of Tzu Chi volunteers, disaster relief volunteers, alternative service personnel and volunteers are brought together to plan and assist in the emergency assistance such as the evacuation of disaster victims, the shelter and resettlement of the victims and the distribution of supplies. It is currently being promoted and implemented in all 368 townships and cities across Taiwan.

Director General Hsiao Huan-Chang of NFA also thanked Tzu Chi volunteers for immediately sending personnel to the Central Emergency Operation Center once it was opened, conveying emergency response needs from where aids are needed, and having Blue Sky White Clouds volunteers rush to provide support simultaneously. In addition, a cooperation agreement was signed with Tzu Chi, under which Tzu Chi will prepare and ship emergency supplies to the disaster-stricken countries to carry out international humanitarian relief when special search and rescue teams and chartered flights are dispatched for international humanitarian relief. Last year after Hualien was impacted by earthquake on April 3, Tzu Chi immediately set up shelters. The timely arrival of partition screens and beds, along with the meticulous care, amazed the Japanese government. Many international humanitarian aid organizations came to Hualien to learn from Tzu Chi, which is an important international exchange and also demonstrates the spirit of Tzu Chi.

Master Cheng Yen explained that these are what a person would and should do. Every little bit of accumulation and contribution is the result of the wholehearted dedication of Tzu Chi members around the world. "Families help relatives, neighbors help neighbors." Whether it is the government or the private sector, we should give our sincere efforts. She also thanked Minister Liu and all departments for their support, which enabled Tzu Chi to work faster. Master Cheng Yen also cited the example of the massive outpouring of shovel-wielding volunteers from across Taiwan after the Matai'an flood disaster in September. She expressed her deep emotion, noting that Taiwan truly values love and its compassion is solid.

Once again, Minister Liu Shyh-Fang thanked Master Cheng Yen and Tzu Chi members for their helping hands and supports to the government, and expressed her hope to continue close cooperation with Tzu Chi to jointly participate in the operation of local emergency coordination centers, and to carry out emergency response such as evacuation, shelter and resettlement and distribution of supplies.