President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of December 15 traveled to the Port of Kaohsiung to preside over a ceremony marking the opening of direct cross-strait shipping links. The Uni-Adroit, a container ship owned by Evergreen Marine Corp., set sail for Mainland China. President Ma thanked all government agencies and private companies that have been involved in the effort to realize direct cross-strait shipping links.
The president said direct cross-strait shipping and air links are significant on two fronts. First, this means that the two sides are no longer hostile towards each other. Negotiation has taken the place of confrontation and conflict has been replaced with reconciliation. Both sides desire peace and prosperity, he said. Secondly, the president said, direct cross-strait aviation and shipping links will have economic benefits, providing significant time and cost savings.
The president furthermore commented that the commencement of these direct links not only helps to reduce transportation costs for air and sea cargo, but also marks a new climate in cross-strait affairs. He expressed his hopes that everyone will take advantage of this new situation to re-think their corporate blueprint for the future. The president said Mainland China has seen rapid investment growth in recent years. However, laws and regulations there have been amended with regards to labor practices, environmental protection and taxes. Compared with the investment climate seen previously, the benefits enjoyed by Taiwan firms operating there have been on the decline. Coupled with the recent financial tsunami and economic recession, the ROC (Taiwan) government is facing enormous challenges. Now is the appropriate time for us to carry out a thorough examination of local policies and the economy, he said.
President Ma pointed out that Taiwan's export volume has retreated from previous levels. Expanding domestic consumption to replace external demand will generate more investment and consumption opportunities here. The president said the Executive Yuan recently has promoted the concepts of "deregulation" and "reconstruction." This will help Taiwan emerge with a new, more competitive appearance. He said the previous policy positions of "No Haste, Be Patient" or "Effective Management" have already become history. What we need now, the president said, is to face new trends and take advantage of this opportunity, adding that starting out on a new foot will enable Taiwan to maximize its competitive geographic location in East Asia. While Taiwan has lost time, it is not too late to act to regain these advantages.
President Ma noted that direct cross-strait aviation and shipping links mark a new stage in history. He said we must carefully consider how to use this opportunity to foster the greatest benefits for Taiwan. The president encouraged all the government agencies and private enterprises involved in the direct aviation and shipping links to continue with their efforts to maximize the benefits of these ties, for this will help bolster Taiwan's international competitiveness.