President Ma Ying-jeou on the evening of March 18 attended the "Believe in Hope – Fight & Smile" fundraising telethon to aid Japan in the wake of the multi-pronged disaster there. The president urged the people of Taiwan to give as much as possible to help Japan through recent earthquake and tsunami. President Ma led the campaign by donating NT$200,000 and announced that Vice President Vincent C. Siew is donating NT$100,000. The president then personally sat at the phone bank to answer calls from donors.
The president remarked that the earthquake of March 11 triggered a tsunami, fires, and a nuclear accident. Over 15,000 people are either dead or missing, and the disaster zones are filled with pictures of destruction. The president commented that this heartbreaking devastation is the biggest blow to Japan since World War II, and that we have all seen the resilience and calm exhibited by the Japanese people in their struggle amid the hardship to tend to their families and their lives.
The president mentioned a story on the Internet about a middle-aged person at a refuge center in Chiba who asked, "What are we to do in the future?" A high-schooler standing alongside patted the person's shoulder and said that he would get everything back to normal when he got older, words that the president said were extremely inspiring. The president noted that first grade students at Shin Jie Elementary School in Taoyuan County made a short film to wish the people of Japan good luck in overcoming the disaster. A number of people from Japan left messages on the school's website to thank the children.
The president commented that over 200,000 Japanese remain homeless after the disaster, and that over 20 people have died in emergency shelters due to malnourishment or extreme cold, so Japan urgently needs assistance. In the immediate wake of the disaster, the ROC government donated NT$100 million and dispatched rescue teams to aid in search and rescue and to distribute material assistance. Hopefully, said the president, these measures will help our Japanese friends get through these tough times.
President Ma also took the opportunity to explain to the public that radiation from the crippled Japanese nuclear power plant will have minimal impact on Taiwan, and that the public should not panic. He also reported that he has instructed government agencies to provide ample and transparent information to explain the latest state of affairs to the public. Information should not be exaggerated nor should anything be covered up, he said, noting that this will put the public at ease. Lastly, the president reiterated his call for the people of Taiwan to show compassion and make our friends in Japan feel our concern.