President Ma Ying-jeou met with US Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo at the Presidential Office on the morning of September 23. The president expressed his appreciation to the congresswoman for her longstanding support and friendship to the ROC.
President Ma remarked that the government over the past two-plus years has worked aggressively to improve relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, adding that the American government has applauded these efforts. Besides continuing to resolutely carry out the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States has announced two sales to Taiwan of defensive arms worth a combined US$13 billion. The president added that the House of Representatives recently passed joint resolution No. 266 supporting Taiwan's joining the International Civil Aviation Organization as an observer. Meanwhile, Taiwan has made progress by participating in the World Health Assembly and other United Nations-affiliated organizations. This demonstrates that the government's efforts to improve cross-strait relations have yielded the dividend of expanded breathing room for Taiwan in the international community, he said, adding that this is in the interests of Taiwan, the United States, and mainland China.
Congresswoman Bordallo is a member of the US Congressional Taiwan Caucus. Two years ago she visited Taiwan to observe the presidential election. In March of this year when President Ma made a visit to the ROC's allies in the South Pacific, he made a stopover in Guam, which is Congresswoman Bordallo's district. The two met and held discussions at that time. President Ma appreciated the congresswoman for signing her name to a motion supporting Taiwan's entry into the International Civil Aviation Organization.
President Ma commented that Guam is the closest territory of the United States to Taiwan and that it has an important strategic position. Currently, China Airlines has two direct flights to Guam each week, he said, adding that there is considerable trade and economic activity between the two. The president said that since Taiwan became a party to the Government Procurement Agreement, it has been actively seeking to participate in the project to relocate American bases. He said he hopes Taiwan and the United States will strengthen cooperation in the area of defense. This would include sales of the F16 C/D series of jetfighters to Taiwan, he said. The president also expressed his desire to see the two countries sign an extradition treaty and for the United States to include Taiwan in its visa waiver program, saying that he hopes the longstanding friendship between the two will enable these goals to be realized at an early date.
Congresswoman Bordallo was accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ssu-Tsun Shen to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Chih-kung Liu.