President Chen Shui-bian this morning received U.S Federal Senator John Rockefeller IV and exchanged views with him regarding promoting a "free trade agreement" between Taiwan and the United States.
The president first expressed his welcome to the senator for his 17th visit to Taiwan since 1985. He said it was in October 2003 when he stopped over in New York that he met the senator and he did not expect that they would meet again so soon, a fact reflecting Senator Rockefeller's friendship and concern for Taiwan.
The president especially thanked Senator Rockefeller for his long time support to Taiwan. He said that the senator has been a member of the senate's intelligence committee, and is also a leader in the senate. Before China passed the "anti-separation law" this year, Senator Rockefeller had voiced his support to Taiwan at the senate floor, for which the president expressed his appreciation.
The president stressed that the rise of China is not the rise of peace, because when China's economy achieves growth, its military power also expands. China's economic growth will give an illusion to many countries. China is now actively courting ASEAN and Latin American countries and had entered "free trade agreements" with many countries with an aim of squeezing out Taiwan from international economic integration, making it marginalized and localized, having no breathing space in the international community and suffering from a weakened self-defense capability.
The president also explained to the visitor the definition of a "new national security," which is not restricted to national defense, military and security. It also includes the concept of a great strategy, which embraces economic security and other security issues. If Taiwan is marginalized and localized in the course of economic integration, it surely will affect Taiwan's economic security and weaken the national security, which would cause an impact on the Asia-Pacific security.
The president is thankful to the U.S. senate's concern over the Taiwan Strait's security. But he also urges the U.S. senate not to pay attention only to Taiwan's military security issues and neglect its economic security. The president expressed his hopes that the U.S. senate will be more aggressive in pushing for a "free trade agreement" with Taiwan so that Taiwan's military security as well as its economic security could be secured. This development would also correct the U.S. and other countries' unilateral leaning toward China.
The president asked Rockefeller to use his influence to help Taiwan and the United States reach a "free trade agreement," which will serve as a model for other countries to follow, further enhancing Taiwan's national and economic security.