President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of December 16 at the Presidential Office with St. Kitts and Nevis Deputy Governor General Eustace John and Mrs. John. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, extended a cordial welcome to the couple on their first visit to Taiwan since the deputy governor general was appointed to his position in 1994.
The president commented that the ROC and St. Kitts and Nevis have maintained a stable alliance since establishing diplomatic relations 27 years ago. The two countries maintain close cooperation in agriculture, culture, medicine, and education, he said, adding that existing projects are progressing quite smoothly. The president also specially expressed his appreciation to St. Kitts and Nevis for speaking often on behalf of the ROC in international venues and advocating participation for Taiwan in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and other UN bodies.
President Ma explained that over the past two-plus years the ROC has made significant efforts to improve relations with mainland China, primarily to reduce tension in the Taiwan Strait and put cross-strait economic and trade ties on a more systematic footing. In the spirit of pragmatism and goodwill, the ROC over this period has signed 14 agreements with mainland China, which has led to a thaw in the Taiwan Strait and benefitted the people of both sides. This is in contrast to the Korean Peninsula, he said, where tensions remain high 60 years after the Korean War. President Ma stated that the ROC government condemned the recent provocations by North Korea, which have increased tension in Northeast Asia, and that he hopes Northeast Asia will quickly return to a state of stability and prosperity.
The president noted that since its opening on November 6 of this year, the attendance at the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exhibition has already exceeded two million, which demonstrates that it has become a successful international fair. Even more significant, he said, is that these types of artistic events showcase Taiwan's soft power and help to boost ties between Taiwan and other nations. Deputy Governor General John and Mrs. John plan on visiting the expo during their stay here, which he said will further grace the event. The president commented that the holding of the flora expo will help Taiwan to foster even more friendships.
Deputy Governor General John and Mrs. John were accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Chin-tien Yang to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Advisor Tung Kuo-yu.