President Ma Ying-jeou met with US Congressman Bob Inglis and Mrs. Inglis at the Presidential Office on the morning of October 13. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, extended a cordial welcome to them on their visit to Taiwan and thanked Congressman Inglis for his longstanding friendship and support for the ROC.
The president noted that Congressman Inglis is a senior member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment. He is a good friend to the ROC, the president stated, adding that Congressman Inglis has supported a wide range of resolutions concerning the ROC, including a resolution supporting the Taiwan Relations Act upon the 30th anniversary of its passage, as well as advocating the ROC's entry into the International Civil Aviation Organization. Congressman Inglis also supports the sale of F-16C/D series jetfighters to the ROC, including Taiwan in the US visa waiver program, and signing a bilateral extradition treaty. The president expressed his deep gratitude for the Congressman's support on these issues.
The president explained that he places great importance on Taiwan-US relations, adding that his first priority upon taking office was to re-establish mutual trust at the highest levels. Over the two years since taking office, he has completed two important arms purchases from the United States, and succeeded in persuading the US administration to resume negotiations on a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement by the end of this year. President Ma said he is confident that the negotiations will yield concrete results in the not-too-distant future.
President Ma commented that Taiwan's efforts with the United States to restore trust at the highest levels coincide with a considerable turn for the better in relations between Taiwan and mainland China. The president stated that an improvement in cross-strait ties alleviates the need for the United States to take sides between Taipei and Beijing, thereby enabling it to develop friendly relations with both. Consequently, a number of American scholars have commented that the trilateral relationship between Washington, Beijing, and Taipei is better now than at any time in the past 60 years. President Ma expressed his hope that obstacles can be overcome in US-Taiwan relations to foster closer cooperation.
Congressman and Mrs. Inglis were accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by American Institute in Taiwan Deputy Director Eric Madison and ROC Deputy Foreign Minister Lyushun Shen to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Chih-kung Liu.