President Ma Ying-jeou met with a delegation of senators from the Australian Parliament on the morning of April 27 at the Presidential Office. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, extended a cordial welcome to the visitors on their trip to Taiwan.
The president commented that he visited Australia in 2006 and at that time came to understand the extremely close state of relations between Taiwan and Australia. Taiwan, he said, is Australia's 11th largest trading partner, and bilateral trade last year reached US$8.3 billion. Most important, he pointed out, is that some 10,000 students from Taiwan are studying in Australia, making Taiwan the fifth largest source of overseas students for Australia. The president remarked that the two sides have signed a variety of economic, cultural, and commercial agreements, and noted that the Australia-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group has over 120 members. These parliamentarians are very friendly toward Taiwan and are making a large contribution to promoting bilateral relations, he said.
President Ma stated that since taking office he has worked hard to improve cross-strait relations and reduce tension in the Taiwan Strait. This effort has also included expanding Taiwan's international relations and bringing to an end the contentious struggle in which Taiwan and mainland China had sought to lure away each other's diplomatic allies. President Ma said that the idea for this policy took root when he visited Australia in 2006.
The president said that foreign aid plays a very important role in Taiwan's foreign policy. President Ma stated that the government now requires that aid be directed toward proper goals, be carried out in accordance with legal processes, and be effectively administered. This is helping Taiwan to shed its old image as a practitioner of “checkbook diplomacy.” The president said that the nation now engages in aboveboard and humanitarian diplomacy. This not only raises Taiwan's visibility in the international community, but also fosters a positive image for the nation, he emphasized.
President Ma said that rescue teams from Taiwan were among the first to arrive in Haiti after that nation suffered a devastating earthquake earlier this year. In addition to providing donations and material aid worth US$16 million, Taiwan plans to erect 1,200 homes and provide assistance to at least 8,000 orphans. At the same time, we intend to establish healthcare and vocational training centers to help Haiti rebuild in the wake of the disaster, he remarked. The president said that in the future Taiwan hopes to contribute to the international community by being a peacemaker and a provider of humanitarian aid.
Senator David Johnston, the leader of the parliamentary delegation, first expressed his appreciation to President Ma for meeting with the group. He also praised President Ma for actively promoting regional peace since taking office. Senator Johnston said he hopes there will be more opportunities for cooperation and interaction between the two sides in the future.
The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin to meet President Ma.