On October 31, President Chen Shui-bian announced plans to create a chapter devoted to indigenous affairs in the nation's new constitution, which he will introduce in 2008. President Shui-bian made the announcement during a seminar on the study of indigenous tribes and their lands. He would like to implement "nation to nation" relationships as a fulfillment of the 1999 treaty entitled "A New Partnership between the Indigenous People and the Government of Taiwan," which is intended to promote indigenous autonomy and the return of indigenous lands. There are currently 12 officially recognized indigenous groups in Taiwan, which comprise approximately 1.65 percent of the total population.
