President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of July 21 at the Presidential Office met the Japanese delegation attending the Taiwan-Japan Forum Taipei 2008 International Conference, which was led by Japan-based World Peace Research Institute Chairman Yoshio Ookawara. The president extended a warm welcome to the guests. He said that they are all highly knowledgeable with regards to East Asian topics, especially concerning relations among Taiwan, Japan, America and Korea. The president said he is confident that the exchange of opinions during the conference will boost everyone’s knowledge and understanding of topics at hand.
President Ma said that since taking office on May 20, major changes have been seen in East Asia, especially with regards to relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Simply stated, the confrontational stance between the two sides that was seen in the past is giving way to the development of peace and reconciliation. He said that in the future, the ROC hopes that the two sides can co-exist peacefully, creating a win-win situation for both sides. Over the past several months, many political leaders on either side of the Taiwan Strait have expressed their interest in shelving controversies, finding commonalities despite differences, and creating together a win-win solution. Negotiations between the two sides, which had been suspended for 10 years, resumed in June. In addition, a number of agreements were reached quickly, covering such issues as direct charter flights between the two sides during the weekend, the expansion of the “three little links,” and liberalizing rules to allow Mainland Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan.
President Ma said that the aforementioned changes are only on the surface, whereas deeper shifts are those that can be felt among the public. He said that everyone can now sense that the pursuit of peace is a value shared by both sides. As a result, the chances for a conflict between the two sides have been reduced. The president stressed that these changes not only carry meaning for Taiwan and Mainland China, but are significant for neighboring Japan as well. Japan and Taiwan, he said, will be able to continue to maintain their friendly relationship, and Japan will not be forced to make difficult decisions on issues between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
President Ma furthermore said that the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula are two potential flash points for the nations and people of East Asia. As a result, the reduction in tensions in the Taiwan Strait is welcome news. The president said he has noticed that the relationship between Japan and Mainland China continues to develop. High-ranking officials from both Japan and Mainland China made frequent visits to the other last year, and the two countries reached an agreement on jointly developing oil fields in the East China Sea. The president described this as a marvelous development. Forty years ago, he said, European nations were involved in a serious dispute over the development of oil fields in the North Sea. The issue was even referred to the International Court of Justice. In the 1970s, nations in the area finally reached an agreement on joint development. The North Sea has become an oil source internationally, the president said, adding that this shows the importance of an agreement providing for mutual development.
President Ma once again expressed his welcome to the guests for coming to Taiwan to participate in the conference and exchange opinions on an in-depth basis regarding East Asia at this critical juncture. He said he hopes everyone will return home feeling that their journey was rewarding.
The guests expressed their gratitude to President Ma for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with them. They also expressed their sympathies for the heavy damage and fatalities caused by a typhoon that hit Taiwan last week. The guests also said President Ma deserves admiration for his clear instructions to resolve the recent dispute between Taiwan and Japan regarding the Diaoyutai islands in a peaceful and rational manner.