The Quest for Modernity
Speech by Ma Ying-jeou
President, Republic of China
at
Fairbank Center, Harvard University
April 6, 2010
President Ma Ying-jeou took part this morning in a video conference with the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. The conference was moderated by Dr. William Kirby, Director of the Fairbank Center. Harvard University president Drew G. Faust opened the conference with a videotaped talk in which she welcomed President Ma to the video conference. After the moderator's opening remarks, President Ma followed with a speech entitled “The Quest for Modernity.” Thereafter, professors Steven M. Goldstein, David Der-Wei Wang, William P. Alford each posed a few questions to the president. This was followed by a Q&A session in which the president fielded questions from members of the audience. As the conference was drawing to a close, President Ma gave a short closing statement.
President Ma's opening remarks:
Prof. Kirby, Prof. Goldstein, Prof. Alford, Prof. Wang, Prof. Su Chi, Ambassador Yuan, Director General Hung, Dear faculty members, students, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: Good Evening!
I. Nostalgia about Harvard
It heartens me to be once again addressing the excellent faculty and student body of Harvard University. This moment brings back a rush of nostalgia because it was here I became a proud father for the first time before I even got my doctoral degree. It was also at Harvard when I was cloistered for long hours in the Law School Library, or debating with fellow classmates and professors, that I was able to broaden my understanding of the world, and hone my skills as a scholar, intellectual and eventually a leader. I also feel nostalgic on a deeper level. When I think of a long litany of historic events, figures, and institutions: John Hay’s Open-Door Policy, Boxer Rebellion, American Indemnity Scholarships for China (美國庚子賠款獎學金, with all its recipients, like Hu Shih (胡適) and Chien Shih-Liang (錢思亮)), Tsinghua (清華) University , Yenching (燕京) University, May Fourth Movement, Flying Tigers, Pearl Harbor, John Leighton Stuart, 1949, Korean War, United States-Republic of China Mutual Defense Treaty, Fairbank Center, the Quemoy and Matsu Crisis（八二三砲戰）, Cultural Revolution, Shanghai Communiqué, Taiwan Relations Act, mainland China’s Reform and Open Policy, US arms sales to Taiwan and so on, I cannot help but think of the far-reaching impact that America has had on China’s, and later on Taiwan’s, convoluted path to modernization. I cannot help but think my time at Harvard was not only a personal academic journey, but also a microcosm reflecting a people’s long search for a modern nation.
II. Wealth, Power and Democracy
The late venerable Benjamin Schwartz, who as you know had been a prominent member of the Fairbank Center, described in the life of Yen Fu (嚴復) that the evolution of modern China has been a journey in search of wealth (富) and power (強). Given the rise of mainland China’s economic power and military strength over the last thirty years, it seems that it has achieved those goals to a considerable degree. However, I believe a society that is truly modernizing should not be limited to wealth and power but must also include the foundations for freedom and democracy. For it is only through the active participation and free choice of one’s citizens that government truly serves the welfare of the people; only then can a government sustain, and a nation thrive. So I am proud to say that the Republic of China on Taiwan has in fact achieved all these three pillars. The ROC has since become a thriving nation with a robust economy, viable military and a truly open and vibrant democracy. With so much already achieved the roadmap of my administration is quite straightforward: namely to strengthen the foundation of these three pillars so as to safeguard the future of Taiwan’s posterity, and to share with mainland China our values and way of life.
III. Coming out of Recession
My administration came into office two years ago in the midst of a global economic crisis, so it’s not an exaggeration that we definitely “hit the ground running.” Since then we have worked relentlessly to revitalize Taiwan’s economy. By taking measures such as guaranteeing 100% bank deposits, substantially lowering interest rate in seven instances, investing 16 billion US dollars in domestic infrastructure in 5 years, distributing 2.7 billion US dollars worth of shopping vouchers, and providing emergency assistance for the underprivileged, my administration has successfully brought the economy out of the downturn after a year and a half. Now we expect to create about a quarter of a million jobs to bring the unemployment rate below 5% and GDP growth up to 4.72% this year. Job creation will remain our top priority, especially those in the green energy sector. With carbon reduction in mind, we are now ambitiously promoting innovation across all of Taiwan’s most competitive sectors. These include the country’s traditional strongholds such as IT, agriculture, and healthcare as well as other emerging industries like green energy, biotech, tourism and the cultural creative industries. However, the growing trend towards regional integration among economic powerhouses in East Asia, like Japan, mainland China, South Korea and the ASEAN countries, is threatening to marginalize Taiwan’s heavily export-driven economy. As such, my administration has been seeking to institutionalize economic relations with mainland China and diversify our export markets and products so that Taiwan will not only avoid being cut off from the global economy but also enhance its international competitiveness. Therefore, we have been pushing hard for an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with the mainland that will serve as a critical structural platform for economic interaction between the two sides. On top of intellectual property rights protection and investment guarantee, the framework will include an early harvest package of goods and services to enjoy zero custom tariffs. The negotiations are already underway and expect to conclude in the next few months. We have also established government programs that will cushion potential shocks to industries and workers, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises. Although some assert that signing the ECFA with mainland China will compromise our sovereignty, this is definitely not the case. The top priority of my administration has always been the principle of “putting Taiwan first for the benefit of the people.” The truth of the matter, ECFA will spearhead Taiwan’s return to the accelerated track for economic integration in Asia-Pacific and beyond. This without a doubt will strengthen Taiwan’s capabilities to enhance its competitive edge in the global market and brighten its outlook for negotiating similar arrangements with other countries.
IV. Cross-Strait Rapprochement and Flexible Diplomacy
In the pursuit of power my administration is not merely seeking military strength but more importantly to build up our soft power. In fact, the heart of my foreign policy is to reestablish mutual trust with all our major international partners, especially the United States. In achieving this goal, my administration has worked incessantly to transform the Taiwan Straits from a major flashpoint into a conduit for regional peace and prosperity. Therefore, in order to resume constructive dialogue with the mainland after a hiatus of over a decade, we first announced in 2008 the policy of “No Unification, No Independence, No Use of Force” so as to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait under the framework of the Republic of China’s 1946 Constitution. This breakthrough was further advanced under the framework of the 92 Consensus of “one China, respective interpretations” that was reached by the two sides in November 1992. That is now deemed a feasible formula by government leaders across the Taiwan Strait as well as many in the wider world community. We have also adopted a policy of Flexible Diplomacy and pursued a diplomatic truce with the mainland, which has by and large ended the vicious cycle of diplomatic warfare between the two sides. This will assuredly foster responsible stakeholdership in both Taiwan as well as the mainland. At the same time, we are working equally hard to enhance Taiwan’s meaningful participation in and contribution to the international community. This will be achieved through our strong initiative to develop Taiwan’s green technology and healthcare industries in conjunction with our foreign aid policies. For example, under the Flagship Program for Green Energy Industry, we will be building up Taiwan’s industrial base in green technology especially in Photo voltaic solar cells and LED. This will not only benefit our people and economy, but more importantly, Taiwan will be able to share its resources and expertise with our allies and friends. On my visit to our Pacific island allies last month, I was proud to survey firsthand the work that Taiwan has done for some of the countries in the area. For example, Taiwan has installed and provided solar energy technology to the Solomon Islands in hopes of improving the environment and livelihoods of their people. Taiwan has also set up an impressive medical mission in the Marshall Islands to treat the high prevalence of cataracts sufferers. In fact, our government will boost the overall effectiveness of our medical aid by initiating many more medical and public health missions that will target specific conditions and diseases common among the people of the Pacific island allies and friends. At the same time, after Taiwan effectively controlled the spread of the H1N1 Flu within our own borders, with a mortality rate of 2 deaths per million, which is only 1/3 of the average for OECD countries, I am proud to report that Taiwan will also be giving away locally manufactured vaccines worth 5 million US dollars to other countries in need. Taiwan’s search and rescue teams were also one of the first on the scenes when Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake earlier this year. In addition to donating $16 million dollars worth in aid and funds, our government is also planning to set up medical and vocational training centers to train for hundreds of medical and skilled workers, and build 1,200 housing units. Also, as a sign of Taiwan’s flourishing civil society, World Vision Taiwan has collected countless small donations from our people that will be sufficient to feed and save more than 8,000 homeless Haitian children and orphans. However, my administration realizes humanitarian relief is only a small part of the long and challenging road to full recovery. This is why we hope to continue the work we have started in integrating the advances we make in healthcare and green technology into our foreign aid framework, so that Taiwan can truly make a meaningful difference in the countries we help.
V. The Universal Value of Freedom and Democracy
However, coming back full circle, the search for a modern nation cannot merely lie upon the pillars of wealth and power. It is only under a true democracy that one’s citizens can live without fear according to the law, and share in the burdens as well as benefits of good governance. Although Taiwan has made impressive sociopolitical progress over the last decades, it is still a young democracy. So, as firm champions for democracy, my administration will work to strengthen the democratic infrastructure of my country. Already we are taking tangible steps to enhance Taiwan’s rule of law and protection of human rights in conformity with international standards. In the past year, we have ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), both administered by the United Nations. In converting these covenants into domestic law, they will certainly strengthen the human rights of our citizenry and further consolidate our rule of law. Furthermore, I came to power on the promise of combating corruption in elections and government, whereby we have already made meaningful progress. Without a doubt this goal will continue to be a cornerstone of my presidency, which I am determined to carry through in my capacity as the President of the country. I will assuredly not waver from the path in laying the foundations of a true democracy. In fact, next year in 2011 will be the Centennial Anniversary of the Republic of China. Against the background of thousands of years of Chinese history, the last century was in some ways merely a comma. But from a larger perspective, it was nothing short of an exclamation mark, as it has been 100 years of struggle; 100 years of experimentation and 100 years of education before a people learned that they too have the unequivocal rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This nation-building process undoubtedly was achieved through the collective efforts of countless dedicated individuals who traversed between tradition and modernity that helped bridge the East to the West so many years ago. Inevitably, this made it possible for a people to aspire to the same democratic values as you cherish. From the chaos arising out of the turn of the 20th century, to the founding of the first republic in Asia in 1912 and its evolution forward in 1949 when the Republic of China Government moved to Taiwan, in 1987 when Taiwan lifted martial law, launched its democratic transformation, and subsequently allowed Taiwan residents to visit their relatives on the mainland, in 1996 when people on Taiwan directly elected its president for the first time, and in 2000 and 2008 when the presidential elections further consolidated Taiwan’s democracy through two rotations of power between political parties, the passage of these 100 years has irrevocably transformed the foundations of a political culture. Distinguished faculty members and students, ladies and gentlemen, as the elected president of the Republic of China, I will continue to strive toward forging Taiwan into an exemplary democracy; one that will be a source of inspiration and emulation for generations to come.
Thank you.
President Ma's closing remarks:
Dear distinguished faculty, students and friends; it is my great pleasure to hold this teleconference with you. Your questions and comments are very good, and some are very tough to answer, but in thinking and answering these questions you force me to think deeper and strive harder on the challenges that confront the road ahead.
Although today’s conference is near an end, I am heartened by the thought that our friendship will continue to grow as there is still so much we need to do, together. The international system that the US forged out of the devastation of World War II 65 years ago has today become the enduring foundation of our global village. Being rule-based and sufficiently flexible, this system encourages positive-sum international cooperation rather than zero-sum inter-state conflict. Hence, it changed the underlying dynamics of the world order that made it possible for countries, big or small, to prosper together. As a matter of fact, my idea to seek rapprochement with the mainland find some similarities with the ideas espoused by the American leaders in having soft talks with the Soviet Union and to have détente. In other words, to replace confrontation with negotiations; to solve international disputes through peaceful means. It is this very system that has interlocked the world into a community of thriving interdependence, giving rise to the possibility where foes can turn into friends, where every country can be a winner and every contribution become part of a greater picture.
This is also the system from which I draw my inspiration to lead my country, particularly in dealing with the mainland. In taking a responsible stake in the world, and in seeking rapprochement with the Chinese mainland, my administration has committed the Republic of China on Taiwan to becoming a dependable and valuable contributor to this international system. In my visit abroad last month, I kept saying to our friends or to the overseas Taiwanese and to members of my delegations, that what I tried to do as far as my country’s foreign relations is concerned is to make Taiwan a respectable member of the international community. I want every Taiwanese when they walk in the streets of New York, of Paris, of Sydney, of Beijing that they are respected. People will say they are from Taiwan, and that Taiwan is a respectful country in the world. Some in my domestic audience may disagree with me, but I firmly believe that this is the right path for Taiwan to avoid being marginalized from the forward march of the rest of the world. However, we will not merely concentrate on our own interests but equally apply our resources in hopes of having a positive impact on the world community. In fact, under this system that the United States started over half a century ago, we, as a whole, ought to be able to right what has gone wrong; to unite as one humanity against the global crises that threatens all that we hold dear, whether climate change, the global economic downturn, the risk of pandemics, or the wars that endanger the peace of our world. In the end, we are the only ones that can overcome the challenges we face. And in such an important partnership, I am confident Taiwan will be there to live up to its responsibilities.
Thank you.