President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of June 23 at the Presidential Office met with St. John's University President Rev. Donald J. Harrington. President Ma extended a warm welcome to his guest for traveling the long distance to visit Taiwan.
President Ma said that St. John's is one of the premier academic institutions in the United States. Having a history that dates back nearly 140 years, St. John's has many prominent alumni not only in the United States, but throughout the world. President Ma said that during the two years he spent studying in New York, he had the opportunity to visit the St. John's campus.
President Ma said that St. John's Vice President Cecilia S. Chang is well-known in Taiwan. Ms. Chang has served as the school's vice president for over 20 years and is an outstanding female academic, he said. The president said that St. John's has quite a few alumni in Taiwan. A number of legislators and academics here graduated from St. John's, he said, adding that enough graduates are here that a small class reunion probably could be held.
President Ma said that as Taiwan is facing many challenges, it also has a number of opportunities to carry out changes, enabling Taiwan to become more open. Over the past eight years, Taiwan was unable to resolve a number of problems. Now, however, it has an opportunity to address a number of challenges with regards to cross-strait relations as well as foreign relations in general. The president pointed out the recent Diaoyutai islands incident. He said the leaders and the governments of Taiwan and Japan were both committed to resolving the situation in a peaceful manner. He added that recently held cross-strait negotiations mark another accomplishment. Flights between the two sides will first begin on a charter basis, but then gradually expand to weekday charters and then ultimately regularly scheduled flights. The process will be gradual, he said. The president said these examples demonstrate that Taiwan hopes to create a new environment in order to realize its potential.
After President Ma and St. John's President Rev. Harrington completed their meeting, Vice President Vincent C. Siew met with Rev. Harrington. The vice president first welcomed Rev. Harrington to Taiwan and said that St. John's University enjoys an outstanding reputation in many circles. The vice president said he regrets that his schedule on a previous visit to the United States was already so tight that he did not have an opportunity to visit St. John's. He said he hopes to have an opportunity to make a stop at the university in the future.
The vice president said that since the new government here has taken office, it has had to tackle a number of difficult economic issues and challenges brought about by the rises in international oil and raw materials prices. He said the government hopes to prioritize economic development and reform. Vice President Siew added that progress has been made in relations between Taiwan and Mainland China, and that in fact relations between the two sides have taken a big leap forward. The vice president said he is pleased to see both sides shelving political disputes and instead focusing on negotiations on important issues. The development of a new era of stable relations between the two sides will create a win-win situation for both sides, he said.
Rev. Harrington said that he is deeply appreciative that Vice President Siew could take time out of his busy schedule to meet with him. He said that after President Ma and Vice President Siew were elected, he not only hoped to have an opportunity to express his congratulations to both of them, but also wanted to personally express his admiration for the many contributions made by President Ma and Vice President Siew. Rev. Harrington extended an invitation to President Ma and Vice President Siew to visit St. John's, saying that their visit would be a great honor for the school.