President Ma Ying-jeou attended a luncheon held in conjunction with the 2009 Asia Pacific Conference of People to People International in Tainan City on May 8 and delivered remarks at the gathering.
The president noted that People to People International was established in 1956 by US President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote international understanding and friendship as a means to achieve the ultimate objective of world peace, and it continues to work towards this goal half a century after its founding. President Ma commented that the Tainan branch of the organization, which won the right to hold this year's regional assembly, has devoted significant efforts to international activities for many years. It has carried out a youth travel project, thereby fostering exchanges between sister cities and universities. The organization has assisted the government in promoting diplomacy and has served as a model in encouraging people-to-people diplomacy through its activities, he said.
The president remarked that the ROC (Taiwan) has faced many obstacles to participation in international activities since it withdrew from the United Nations (UN) in 1971, which is why the government places heavy emphasis on non-governmental organizations (NGOs), particularly in the areas of economic and trade relations, culture, technology, environmental protection, democracy and humanitarian assistance. NGOs, he said, play an important role in the ROC (Taiwan), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has even established an NGO Affairs Committee.
In discussing relations between Taiwan and mainland China, the president said that since his administration took office last year it has sought to foster a new path in cross-strait ties and foreign relations. In the past, he said, mainland China was the main cause of the diplomatic isolation faced by the ROC (Taiwan). Therefore, it was crucial for us to improve relations between the two sides. The new administration resumed negotiations with mainland China, and altogether nine agreements have been signed between the two. This has helped create a climate beneficial to cross-strait peace and prosperity, he said.
President Ma said that the ROC (Taiwan) has sought to maintain strong substantive relations with Japan, the United States and other countries at the same time it is improving ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. The president cited several concrete achievements to date, including: 1) Taiwan in December of last year joined the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Government Procurement, becoming the 41st party to the agreement; 2) Former Vice President Lien Chan represented the ROC (Taiwan) at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting held in Peru in November of last year, becoming the highest level representative of the ROC (Taiwan) to ever attend the event; 3) In January of this year the World Health Organization agreed to cover Taiwan in the framework of the International Health Regulations; 4) The United States also in January of this year removed Taiwan from its Special 301 Watch List, a move that recognizes the efforts that Taiwan has made to protect intellectual property rights; and 5) Taiwan was recently invited to participate in the World Health Assembly that will be held in Geneva on May 18. The nation's delegation will be led by Department of Health Minister Yeh Ching-chuan. This will mark the first time since the ROC (Taiwan) withdrew from the UN 38 years ago that it will formally participate in an activity held by a UN-affiliated organization. The president said we have not sacrificed our sovereignty or dignity in the course of improving cross-strait relations. Rather, we have in fact strengthened our sovereignty, he said. In addition, the improvement in ties between the two sides is also benefiting the region since warmer relations between Taiwan and mainland China no longer make the Taiwan Strait a potential flash point. Instead, the rapprochement is setting the foundation for regional peace and stability. We will continue our efforts in this regard, the president said.
President Ma also stated that the people of Taiwan are peace-loving and peace-makers. Taiwan is an island of peace and prosperity, he said. The president expressed his hopes that Taiwan's NGOs will work together to help expand space in the international community for us.