President Ma sent a letter on February 5 to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to the Papal Message for World Day of Peace 2014.
The following is the full text of the president's letter to the pope:
Your Holiness:
In Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace, issued for the celebration of the World Day of Peace on New Year's Day of 2014, Your Holiness states that "fraternity is the foundation and pathway of peace" and "not only individuals but nations too must encounter one another in a spirit of fraternity." This fraternal spirit, which is a universal value of all mankind, manifests itself in the recognition that wealthy countries have a duty to assist developing countries in order to more fairly regulate relations between the strong and the weak, and to promote values that focus more on humanitarian concerns. We are all born with a natural disposition for fraternity. At a time when many countries, peoples and individuals are facing tragic problems of poverty, hunger, lack of development, conflict, migration, pollution, injustice, and organized crime, fraternity is the foundation of and pathway to peace.
It is indeed true, as Your Holiness states, that Jesus Christ, through his death and resurrection, demonstrates to us the love of the Father, and regenerates human fraternity. To respond to the love of the Father, we must realize our calling by joining together against injustice and poverty. We must support and encourage each other. We must, in a spirit of fraternity, build a society that respects human dignity—a society where all know the harmony that fraternity brings. Those who sow violence and death must lay down their arms, and instead use dialogue, pardon, and reconciliation to rebuild justice, trust, and hope. Fraternity can indeed further the cause of world peace, realize freedom and justice, and put into practice the Christian spirit of "loving your neighbor as yourself." I was greatly moved after reading Your Holiness' penetrating and thought-provoking views.
The idea of "helping the weak and aiding the needy" is an important precept in Chinese culture, and in harmony with the fraternity advocated by Your Holiness. Your message cites the 2009 encyclical Caritas in Veritate of His Holiness Benedict XVI, Supreme Pontiff Emeritus, in which your predecessor reminds the world how the lack of fraternity between peoples is a significant cause of poverty. You call on us all to unite against injustice and poverty, and to care for the weak and defenseless. This is precisely the spirit needed for the building of a modern, harmonious society. I strongly agree with your thoughts in this regard.
Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China, spent his life promoting the idea that "the world belongs to all of us in equal measure," which he saw as a universal value that would lead the way toward "world harmony." This peace-promoting ideal is, in effect, the very standard that guides the Republic of China in its relations with other countries: "Be good to your neighbors." I have always believed that we should "be as one with all mankind and all living creatures," and that we should "help the weak and aid the poor." And I certainly agree with your statement that without fraternity it is impossible to build a just society and a solid and lasting peace. To ensure that the people of my country have secure livelihoods, I hope to create an environment that is conducive to lasting peace.
For a long time now the ROC government, in the spirit of fraternity, has worked actively with the people of the nation to provide international humanitarian relief, and thus contributed indirectly to the promotion of regional peace. For example, after the powerful earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, leaving 25,000 dead and more than 10,000 missing, my government promptly announced a donation of NT$100 million (approximately US$3.38 million). This was followed by humanitarian donations from citizens and local governments totaling NT$6.85 billion (roughly US$230 million). In November 2013 when Palau and the Philippines were hit by Typhoon Haiyan, fraternal empathy led us to donate US$100,000 to Palau, along with prefabricated housing and emergency supplies. We also immediately mobilized the air force and navy to deliver disaster relief supplies to the Philippines, donating funds and goods worth more than US$12 million in an effort to facilitate disaster recovery in both countries and help the people's lives return to normal. These actions demonstrate how the people of the Republic of China are of one mind in putting the essential human quality of "loving your neighbor as yourself" into action. Moreover, through the efforts of the Embassy of the ROC to the Holy See, and with the help of Vatican agencies under the leadership of Your Holiness, the ROC provided assistance in 2013 in a number of underdeveloped and remote areas. A good example is our contribution to the construction of classrooms in Colombia. We have also joined international efforts for emergency humanitarian aid in Syria, Mexico, and other areas suffering from war or natural disasters. These and other measures are concrete actions undertaken jointly by the Holy See and the ROC in a spirit of fraternity to help the weak and aid the needy, and they reflect the great concern of Your Holiness for the importance of international aid.
In Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace, Your Holiness urges all countries to replace confrontation with dialogue, pardon, and reconciliation, and to work for the common good, a stance with which I am in complete agreement. Political differences led to confrontation across the Taiwan Strait that continued for many years. Since I took office in 2008, however, by upholding the principles of "equality, dignity, and reciprocity," Taiwan has resumed institutionalized negotiations with mainland China, and cross-strait relations have evolved from conflict to dialogue. So far 19 agreements and two points of consensus have been reached between the two sides. Cross-strait relations, which were once a source of tension and hostility, are today characterized by peace and stability. This development is in line with UN calls for nations to abide by international law and resolve disputes through peaceful means. Moreover, it is also a concrete realization of the biblical prophecy that "they will beat their swords into ploughshares," as well as of the fraternal spirit that Your Holiness has urged all nations to show.
In recent years, neighboring countries in Asia have been embroiled in disputes regarding sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islets, which is why in August 2012 I proposed the East China Sea Peace Initiative, a vigorous call for Japan and mainland China, together with Taiwan, to shelve controversies, share resources, and start negotiations. The initiative is based on the idea that "while sovereignty cannot be compromised, resources can be shared." I call for this initiative to be implemented in two stages. In the first stage, we would replace sovereignty disputes with meaningful dialogue. Then in the second stage we would jointly develop and share resources. It was against this backdrop that Taiwan finally signed a fisheries agreement with Japan on April 10, 2013 on the basis of equality and reciprocity, peacefully resolving a dispute that had lasted for 40 years. The pact provides greater protection to the legitimate right of ROC fishermen to operate at sea, and is beneficial for both countries, thus demonstrating that the East China Sea Peace Initiative is not only in line with modern international law, but is also an effective means for resolving regional disputes and maintaining peace in the East China Sea. Though the path to peace is long and difficult, we sincerely believe that the sweet fruits of peace will be well worth the effort.
Love is the basis of mutual trust, and the path to peace. I hold in high regard the appeal Your Holiness made on this year's World Day of Peace. Based on the 72 years of strong and cordial ties between the ROC and the Holy See, the government and people here will continue to uphold the values of truth, freedom, justice, and peace, together with the Holy See.
Please accept, Your Holiness, the assurances of my highest consideration, as well as my best wishes for your good health and the continued prosperity of the Holy See.