President Ma Ying-jeou met with the permanent representatives to the United Nations (UN) from four diplomatic allies of the ROC—Palau, Tuvalu, Belize, and El Salvador—at the Presidential Office on the morning of December 13. The president stated his deepest appreciation for the support of the ROC expressed by the visitors both at the UN and in other international venues.
President Ma remarked that the ROC was one of the founding members of the UN, and the name "Republic of China" can still be found in Articles 23 and 110 of the UN Charter. In addition, Article 141 of the ROC Constitution stipulates that the ROC's foreign affairs should respect treaties and the UN Charter, which he said demonstrates our respect for the UN system. The president commented that even though the ROC lost its UN representation in 1971, it has always sought meaningful participation in UN activities. Last year, the ROC took part in the World Health Assembly (WHA) after an absence of 38 years, which greatly boosted efforts to control the H1N1 influenza here, the president said. This marked a breakthrough in the ROC's participation in international organizations, and has helped to enhance the wellbeing of Taiwan's population, he added.
The president stated that he has actively pursued improved cross-strait relations since taking office to reduce tension in the Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, the ROC hopes that its "flexible diplomacy" will reduce unnecessary confrontation and conflict between the two sides. Efforts over the past two-plus years have brought incipient signs of peace in the Taiwan Strait and won more room for Taiwan's participation in the international community, with these two conditions forming a virtuous circle, the president said. For instance, the ROC again took part in the WHA this year, and in July of last year formally became a party to the Agreement on Government Procurement under the World Trade Organization, which the president said has created enormous economic and trade benefits for the ROC.
President Ma also stressed the importance that the ROC places on its relationships with its diplomatic allies. The president feels that alliances between the ROC and visitors’ home countries are quite stable, and many cooperation projects are being carried out. While cross-strait relations are warming, the ROC is also working to promote and expand bilateral ties and cooperative relationships with its allies, he remarked.
The president reiterated the ROC's desire to participate in the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He explained that Taiwan is in one of the busiest aviation corridors in Southeast Asia, with 12 international and four domestic routes traversing Taiwan's airspace. Some 1.5 million flights ply these routes each year, he said, which makes aviation safety all the more important. Meanwhile, global warming has led to extreme weather throughout the world, and Taiwan is one of the nations most prone to natural disasters. The president commented that typhoons and flooding in Taiwan have grown more severe. Consequently, the nation hopes to maintain close contact with UNFCCC members to better protect the safety and wellbeing of its people, he remarked.
President Ma said he hopes that this visit will enable the permanent representatives to hone their understanding of the ROC's political and economic situation. He also urged them to continue to speak on behalf of the ROC, so as to help Taiwan more fully participate in and integrate with the international community, thereby promoting the wellbeing of the people of the nation.
The visiting UN permanent representatives were accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ssu-Tsun Shen to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Advisor Tung Kuo-yu.