President Ma Ying-jeou met with United States Congressman Eni Faleomavaega on the morning of March 31 at the Presidential Office Building. Congressman Faleomavaega is the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC (Taiwan), expressed a cordial welcome to Congressman Faleomavaega on his trip to Taiwan.
The president noted that Congressman Faleomavaega and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman visited Taiwan in August of last year. At the time, he had an opportunity to exchange opinions with the visitors. The president commented that Congressman Faleomavaega originally had not planned to visit Taiwan on this trip to Asia. However, at the invitation of Taiwan's representative to the United States, he made special arrangements to stop here. The president said Congressman Faleomavaega's decision to visit Taiwan on this trip is highly significant.
President Ma reiterated his appreciation to the United States for its approval of a US$6.4 billion package of arms to be sold to Taiwan. This will help to modernize Taiwan's defense and enable Taiwan to keep in step with the times. The president also said that while the Legislative Yuan has banned the import of US ground beef and offal, imports of bone-in beef have helped to make up for the inability to import ground beef and offal. In addition, this has gradually helped to resolve the dispute surrounding the import of US beef. President Ma stressed that the focus of Taiwan-US relations in the future will be on signing an extradition treaty, enabling Taiwan to participate in the US visa-waiver program, and the signing of an investment and economic framework agreement. He said he hopes that Congressman Faleomavaega will fully support and lend his assistance with these efforts.
The president mentioned that last week he made a trip to the South Pacific to visit the ROC's six diplomatic allies in the region, and these nations were not far from Congressman Faleomavaega's home of American Samoa. The president said he got a feel for the hospitality of the people in the South Pacific as well as the gorgeous scenery, both of which made a deep impression on him.
Congressman Faleomavaega expressed his appreciation to President Ma for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with him. The two engaged in discussions and exchanged opinions on a wide range of topics, including cross-strait relations, industrial cooperation and development, and global climate change.
Congressman Faleomavaega was accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Vice Foreign Minister Lyushun Shen. Also in attendance at the meeting with the president was National Security Council Secretary-General Hu Wei-jen.