President Ma Ying-jeou met on the afternoon of December 15 with persons recognized as 2010 Models of Taiwan and Overseas Entrepreneurs. The president extended his congratulations to the award winners and applauded them for their entrepreneurial achievements.
The president said that the China Youth Career Development Association was founded in 1972 and is a well-known organization in Taiwan. The association began singling out model Taiwan entrepreneurs in 1978 and extended the awards to include overseas compatriot entrepreneurs in 1992, he said. Since inception, the awards have drawn a great deal of attention both home and abroad. The award recipients in Taiwan have inspired quite a few young people here to establish their own businesses, while the model overseas entrepreneurs serve as ambassadors of a kind, promoting contact in their respective communities and helping foreigners better understand Taiwan. In addition, the association last year took over responsibility for holding the national flag raising ceremony on the morning of January 1 and immediately scored a big hit by distributing scarves showing the ROC national flag. The president said he often gives out the scarves when he goes out traveling, and people invariably feel it is an excellent memento of the ROC.
In discussing the state of the nation, the president said that over the past couple of years, the nation first faced a recession in the wake of the global financial tsunami, but that the enormous vitality of Taiwan's industrial sector has helped the economy to recover quickly. The president pointed out that the Executive Yuan’s Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics has forecast economic growth of 9.98% for this year. Meanwhile, Taiwan's external trade in the first 11 months of this year reached US$480 billion and is expected to surpass the US$500 billion level for the year as a whole, setting a new record. At the same time, government policies have helped to create 250,000 jobs, reducing Taiwan's unemployment rate from 6.13% in August of last year to 4.92% in October this year. The president said he is confident that the goal of "building up Taiwan while linking up with the Asia-Pacific region and creating a global presence" will gradually be realized.
The president furthermore stated that unlike the past, when growth relied primarily on exports, domestic investment this year is expected to increase 32%, partly due to a booming tourism industry. The tourism sector posted growth of 27% in the first half of this year and growth in the latter half is also expected to exceed 20%. The Tourism Bureau last month welcomed the five millionth visitor to Taiwan this year, setting a new high for incoming tourists. Taiwan's popularity is the result of the enthusiasm and hospitality of its people, as well as its lively night market culture. This has attracted visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Malaysia, and other nations to come here, he said. Meanwhile, the number of overseas visits by Taiwanese this year is expected to reach 9.5 million.
President Ma commented that the European Union recently approved visa-free travel for citizens of Taiwan to Schengen nations. To date, a total of 96 countries and areas provide ROC nationals visa-free courtesies, which is an increase of 81% from the 53 countries that offered ROC passport holders visa-free travel when he took office in 2008. The government, he said, will continue seeking visa-free treatment from other countries, and it hopes to see the number of countries offering such privileges to break 100 next year during the nation's centennial. President Ma remarked that when the nation receives respect, its citizens feel they have dignity. This demonstrates that the international community is casting a vote of confidence in the ROC, he said, and shows that the world is recognizing Taiwan's power.
President Ma reiterated that the fruits of economic growth must be shared by the entire public. Besides creating job opportunities and boosting worker incomes, the government is seeking to enhance social welfare measures, he said. The president pointed to passage of recent amendments to the Public Assistance Act that raises the poverty line to make more medium- and low-income families eligible for assistance. Some 850,000 people are expected to benefit, he said.
The president said the ROC is currently working toward playing four roles in the world community, namely that of a peacemaker, a provider of humanitarian aid, a promoter of cultural ties, and a creator of new technologies and business opportunities. He said he hopes that the entire public will work with the government in order to achieve this objective.
Wang Steak Chairman Steve Day, a recipient of the award, led the delegation to the Presidential Office in the afternoon. The group was accompanied by National Youth Commission Minister Wang Yu-ting and China Youth Career Development Association outgoing president Lo Ching-ping and incoming president Chen Shi-ming to meet the president.