President Ma Ying-jeou met with Dominican Republic Secretary of State for the Armed Forces Pedro Rafael Peña Antonio (Lieutenant General Pilot, F.A.D.) at the Presidential Office on the morning of July 2. The president extended a warm welcome to Secretary Peña on behalf of the government and people of the ROC.
The president remarked that the ROC's Ministry of National Defense each year invites high-ranking military officers from allied nations to visit Taiwan. In addition to boosting interaction, the visits help to identify opportunities for cooperation, he said, adding that he thinks this is an excellent initiative.
President Ma commented that the ROC and the Dominican Republic established bilateral ties in 1940 and this relationship now dates back 70 years. Presidential Ma noted that the people of the two nations are fond of freedom and democracy, and that the alliance between the two countries is quite stable. The president stated that he has made five overseas journeys since taking office and that he has visited the Dominican Republic twice, meeting with Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernández each time. On his first trip to the Dominican Republic, he said he discussed issues concerning the bilateral relations with his counterpart. On the second visit, the discussions were entirely related to providing assistance to Haiti. The president said that he came away from the meetings with a deep sense that President Fernández is an outstanding leader of great talent and bold vision who is willing to come to the assistance of other nations.
President Ma said that one month ago, he dispatched Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Wu-hsiung to the Dominican Republic to participate in an international conference focusing on assisting Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake that hit that nation. The Dominican Republic is Haiti's neighbor and the two countries maintain close relations. In the process of assisting Haiti, the Dominican Republic has played an important role, the president said, and its outstanding contribution in assisting its neighbor has left a deep impression on other nations.
The president stressed that the ROC and the Dominican Republic maintain cooperation projects in the areas of agriculture, education, national defense, and economic relations. He said he hopes that the relationship between the two nations will continue to move forward. In addition, the president stated that while improving cross-strait relations, the ROC is also committed to strengthening its cooperative relationships with its allies. He added that he would also like to take this opportunity to express his appreciation to the Dominican Republic for advocating the ROC's participation in the World Health Assembly and other international organizations.
Lastly, President Ma said he hopes that Secretary Peña will have in-depth discussions with his military counterparts on his visit here and that both sides can move forward on issues of mutual concern. President Ma also asked Secretary Peña to pass along his appreciation and respects to President Fernández.
Secretary Peña was accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Minister of National Defense Kao Hua-chu and Chief of the General Staff Admiral Lin Jan-yi to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Ko Kuang-yueh.