President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of April 14 with a delegation from the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) led by Commander-in-Chief John W. Stroud, accompanied by Mrs. Stroud. In addition to lauding the contribution that military veterans have made to their countries and societies, the president said that the long history of ROC-US military cooperation reflects the deep and abiding friendship between the two countries.
In remarks, the president noted that this year is the 70th anniversary of both the end of World War II and the Republic of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan. He went on to say that ROC-US military cooperation has a long history, reaching its apex in World War II when the US government helped the ROC to victory and proved to be a staunch friend.
Citing one example of that cooperation, the president pointed to the American Volunteer Group (AVG), which later became the 14th Army Air Force in China. Those units comprised American servicemen who came to the ROC during the war and joined forces with ROC troops to resist the Japanese, providing potent air and ground support. Less than a year after they arrived, the US airmen had shot down at least 200 Japanese planes, which was a tremendous help in resisting the Japanese invasion. The AVG was also known as The Flying Tigers, as the noses of their P-40 pursuit planes were painted to look like tiger sharks, mouths open wide. Many Chinese who lived in the interior, however, had never seen a tiger shark, and thought it was a picture of a tiger. And that is how the name "Flying Tigers" came to symbolize ROC-US cooperation and friendship.
This year the ROC government will be holding various activities commemorating victory in the War of Resistance. To mark this important period in history, Taiwan will be inviting descendants of the Flying Tigers like Ms. Nell Calloway, granddaughter of General Claire Chennault, and their families to Taiwan, as well as displaying a replica of the P-40 pursuit planes from that era.
President Ma added that during World War II, for eight long years ROC forces fought courageously—against almost insurmountable odds—to defeat the Japanese. There were 3.65 million ROC soldiers who died, with total military and civilian casualties topping 20 million. Among all the wars in Chinese history, that war had the broadest theater of engagement, caused the highest number of injuries and deaths, and had the greatest impact. By persevering in the War of Resistance, eschewing compromise or surrender, ROC forces engaged at least 800,000 Japanese ground troops and a large number of Japanese air force personnel. That prevented Japanese forces from being used in the Pacific War Theater, or advancing on the Middle East to link up with German troops, factors that had a major impact on how the war played out.
President Ma also told the visitors that after World War II ended, US President Eisenhower, former commander of the Allied troops that stormed the beaches at Normandy, also made many important decisions that would help shape Taiwan's destiny. One of those decisions came at the end of 1952, not long after his election, when Eisenhower visited Korea and proposed an end to the Korean War. On July 27 of the following year, the Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed. President Eisenhower, the leading general in the liberation of Europe, was anything but a "hawk." In fact, in East Asia, he played a much-admired role as peacemaker, President Ma commented.
The president also recounted that back on June 25, 1950 when the Korean War broke out, US President Truman dispatched the US 7th Fleet to defend the Taiwan Strait. And after taking office, President Eisenhower went on to sign the Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States of America and the Republic of China with the ROC in December of 1954, making the ROC a formal ally of the United States. In addition to continuing to deploy the 7th Fleet in the Taiwan Strait, President Eisenhower also asked the US Congress to pass the Formosa Resolution, which authorized the US President to deploy troops to defend Taiwan.
The year 1958 was punctuated by the August 23 Artillery War (Second Taiwan Strait Crisis). As soon as the shelling began, President Eisenhower dispatched the US Navy to provide ROC forces with logistics and transport support. After the shelling stopped, President Eisenhower directed Secretary of State John Foster Dulles to come to Taiwan, where he issued a joint communique with President Chiang Kai-shek. That communique effectively changed the ROC government's attitude toward mainland China, and we began to adopt an approach that was "three parts military, seven parts political."
President Ma then explained that on June 18, 1960, President Eisenhower himself came to Taiwan and issued a joint communique with former President Chiang Kai-shek. The communique emphasized that under the provisions of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, the ROC and the United States would jointly resist any act of provocation against Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, or Matsu. That pledge laid a foundation for stable development of cross-strait affairs for the next few decades.
President Ma then addressed the issue of government policies for the care of military veterans. He emphasized that military personnel play an important and irreplaceable role in society and history, which makes caring for military veterans an important responsibility for the government, and the nation as a whole. This year the US government budgeted US$163.9 billion for healthcare, benefits, and burials and memorials for the country's approximately 22 million veterans. And to provide for its 414,000 veterans, the Taiwan government budgets more than US$4 billion each year to provide educational, career, medical, and long-term care services. So both Taiwan and the US clearly value the contributions of their military personnel, and make every effort to care for them after they retire from active duty.
Turning to ROC-US relations, President Ma noted that since taking office seven years ago, he has worked to restore mutual confidence at the highest levels of government. As a result, bilateral relations are now the best they have ever been in the 36 years since the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) was enacted. On the economics and trade front, in March of 2013 Taiwan and the US resumed negotiations under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with an eye toward signing a bilateral investment agreement that would bolster existing bilateral economic and trade relations. In the security area, over the past six years total US arms sales to Taiwan have exceeded US$18.3 billion, the highest in the past 20 years. President Barack Obama also recently signed the Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2014, approving the sale of four Perry-class frigates to Taiwan. So the future looks good for closer US-ROC military cooperation.
President Ma also stated that in addition to purchasing defensive weapons from the US to maintain national security, the government has also actively improved cross-strait relations through non-military methods, promoting peace in the Taiwan Strait. As of today Taiwan and mainland China have signed 21 agreements, established direct links via sea and air, and increased cross-strait exchanges in terms of mainland Chinese tourists and students coming to Taiwan. There are now 840 flights between Taiwan and mainland China each week. In 2014 almost four million mainland tourists visited Taiwan, and the ministers in charge of cross-strait affairs from the two sides of the Strait held reciprocal visits, addressing each other using their official titles. Cross-strait relations are thus more stable than they have been at any other time in the 66 years since the two sides came under separate rule. This development has drawn praise from the US, which also feels that cross-strait stability has been a key factor in the continued smooth enhancement of Taiwan-US relations. This period has also marked the first time in history that the US could interact with both sides of the Taiwan Strait at the same time while maintaining friendly relations. "This has made a significant contribution to cross-strait and East Asian peace," the president said.
In closing, the president praised the outstanding contribution that military veterans have made to the nation and society, and emphasized that the government will look after the overall wellbeing of military personnel so that they can serve with pride, and wholeheartedly devote themselves to defending the nation.
Ladies Auxiliary VFW National President Ann Panteleakos was also a member of the delegation.