President Ma Ying-jeou met on the afternoon of March 22 with Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States Commander-in-Chief Richard L. DeNoyer and Mrs. DeNoyer and VFW Adjutant General Allen F. "Gunner" Kent and Mrs. Kent. During the meeting, the president stated that the ROC is presently implementing a volunteer military system, and is referring to the experience of the United States in this regard in an effort to reduce the number of conscripts and also to continue to enhance the quality and preparedness of the nation's military.
In remarks, the president noted that the VFW is an enormous organization with a membership (including members of the women's auxiliary) of nearly three million, and it wields considerable clout in American politics. Each year, the VFW sends a delegation to visit Taiwan, and the president said that since he took office in May 2008 he has met with three former commanders-in-chief of the VFW, including Glen Gardner, Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., and Richard L. Eubank. This demonstrates the friendly relations between the ROC and the VFW.
President Ma furthermore stated that the VFW and the ROC's Veterans Affairs Commission maintain close communications, and the US military and the ROC's Ministry of National Defense have a similar relationship. For instance, the United States has approved a project to upgrade the functionality of Taiwan's fleet of F-16A/B fighter jets. It has also agreed to sell Taiwan over US$18 billion worth of weapons, he stated, adding that the two sides engage in close cooperation in other areas of security.
The president stressed that the ROC is a peace-loving nation that over the past four years has improved cross-strait relations and reduced tensions in the Taiwan Strait. He further noted that efforts to promote regional stability and peace have been widely welcomed throughout the world.
The president also expressed his belief that veterans of the ROC, the United States, and other nations have made enormous contributions to national security. He pointed out that "the recovery of Taiwan, protection of Taiwan from military threats, development of Taiwan's infrastructure, and support of Taiwan's civilian population" are considered to be the four main contributions that the ROC's veterans have made to the nation. He said he hopes that veterans organizations from the United States and Taiwan will gain a better understanding of each other during this visit to Taiwan by the guests, which will pave the way for greater opportunities for cooperation and interaction.
VFW Commander-in-Chief DeNoyer and Mrs. DeNoyer and Adjutant General Kent and Mrs. Kent were accompanied to the Presidential Office in the afternoon by Veterans Affairs Commission Minister Tseng Jing-ling (曾金陵) to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Ko Kuang-yueh (葛光越).