In December President Chen Shui-bian gave exclusive interviews to international media heavyweights The New York Times, CNN and the British Financial Times. The interviews all focused on the "preventive referendum" that is to be held the same day as the election for the presidency on March 20, 2004.
二○○三年十二月間，陳水扁總統連續接受美國紐約時報、CNN 有線電視網，及英國金融時報等國際重量級媒體專訪，訪談焦點都指向二○○四年三月二十日與總統大選同步舉行的「防衛性公投」。