President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of January 6 at the Presidential Office met with former US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mr. John Bolton. The president, on behalf of the government of the ROC (Taiwan), extended a cordial welcome to Mr. Bolton on his visit here and also thanked him for his long-term support for the Republic of China.
The president commented that Ambassador Bolton has a wealth of experience. He has served in a number of important positions in the US government. After the Bush administration took office, he was appointed as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security before being promoted to the Cabinet-level US Ambassador to the UN. President Ma said that he met with Ambassador Bolton three years ago on a visit to the United States. At the time, the two met at the UN and exchanged opinions.
President Ma furthermore said that Ambassador Bolton is widely recognized in the American political community as a man of iron. He has worked aggressively to defend the national security interests of the United States as well as America's global position. Since leaving his public post, Ambassador Bolton has served as a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Last year, he published Surrender Is Not an Option: Defending America at the United Nations and Abroad. This book made quite a splash in the academic community and has generated considerable discussion.
President Ma also noted that Ambassador Bolton has long been a friend to Taiwan and has provided considerable support and assistance in a number of policies involving Taiwan's government, such as Taiwan's desire to take part in UN-related activities and Taiwan's stance on cross-strait relations. Even though he has left his government position, he still maintains frequent contact with Taiwan, the president said. In addition to being decorated here two years ago in recognition for his efforts on behalf of Taiwan, he has also delivered a speech before the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. President Ma added that Ambassador Bolton continues to pay close attention to the state of relations between Taiwan and Mainland China, and has supported the new administration's efforts since taking office to improve ties between the two sides. He has also expressed his view that this improvement in relations is beneficial for Taiwan, the United States and Mainland China. This viewpoint by Ambassador Bolton, the president said, reflects the general view of the US political and academic communities, including President Bush and President-elect Obama.
Former US Permanent Representative to the UN Bolton was accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew Li-Yan Hsia. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi.