On the morning of February 23, President Ma Ying-jeou attended a meeting that was held to enhance the understanding of government policy among high-level political appointees, and improve the quality of decision-making. In addition to calling on attendees to "listen with humility, study issues thoroughly, communicate broadly, make decisions carefully, and implement policies effectively," the president said he hopes to see "fewer things done wrong and more things done right." This is what will make Taiwan's economy move forward and become stronger, he noted.
In remarks, the president said the theme of this seminar was to engage in discourse and communication on important national policies, including issues such as pension reform, energy policy, nuclear safety, and prevention of excessive concentration of media ownership. President Ma expressed hope that the Executive Yuan in this new year will not only carry out thorough planning and provide transparency in the formulation of legislation and the promotion of policies, but also will strengthen communication with society, thereby bringing about better policies.
President Ma mentioned that over the long term, the public policies adopted by the government have been correct and beneficial to the public. However, the timing and method of their implementation may have sometimes led to complaints. Consequently, he remarked, the government must continuously examine and adjust how it promotes policies, and improve the decision-making process in order to reduce grievances. This, he said, will be beneficial to both the public and the nation as a whole.
The president noted that since October of last year the government has taken an extremely careful approach to the formulation of policy. It has used a bottom-up method to communicate with the public, he commented, pointing to the 124 seminars held on pension reform. President Ma stated that on January 30 of this year he unveiled first-stage plans for pension reform, and at present the government is soliciting opinions on these proposals from society at large. He remarked that the government is listening to voices at the grassroots level and engaging in second-stage communication. When this is completed, things learned in the course of this communication will be discussed and may possibly serve as the basis for changes to the pension reforms, he said.
President Ma furthermore stated that prior to drafting a policy, the government should carry out a number of necessary steps. First, it should humbly listen to a wide range of opinions, including various private groups and women's groups. Second, it should engage in thorough research to determine the advantages and shortcomings of any specific policy, and to strike a proper balance. Third, he indicated, the government must sincerely communicate with various sectors and appropriately explain that the public as a whole will together bear the consequences of these policies. Fourth, careful decision-making must be undertaken after thorough exchanges of opinions. Fifth, the government must effectively implement its decisions. The president said that these steps will ensure that "fewer things are done wrong and more things are done right." The president called on administration officials to pool their thoughts and communicate among themselves to do a good job on important policies. This, he commented, will enable the government to appropriately explain its policies and receive the support and trust of the public.
With regard to the contentious topic of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, President Ma stated that the issue has sparked considerable public debate. The president noted that work on the plant has been started, suspended, and resumed several times over the past two decades and more. During this period, different political parties have been in power, but construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant has continued. The administration, he said, must carefully consider what is most beneficial for the public. In addition, the president noted, decision-makers also need to look at how other countries in similar situations are handling the issue. President Ma stated that the policy set forth must be forward-looking and focus on the future energy needs of Taiwan, and public opinion regarding the price of energy and how it is produced must also be considered. Ultimately, the government must provide ample information to back up its decision, the president remarked.
President Ma noted that Taiwan's economic growth last year was 1.26%, while the Executive Yuan's Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics in January of this year forecast that economic growth in 2013 would reach 3.53%, and more recently raised its forecast to 3.59%, which indicates that Taiwan's economy is on the road toward recovery. The president expressed confidence that the economy will improve in the future, thus boosting the people's income and enabling various industries to grow stronger.
The president stated that consumption figures were quite good during the nine-day lunar new year holiday this year, which indicates that private spending remains strong. He noted that while attending a celebration on February 22 to mark 2013 Tourism Day, he could sense that Taiwan's tourism industry has become increasingly buoyant over the past five years. Nonetheless, he cautioned, quantity and quality are equally important, and the nation must address the relevant issues very carefully. President Ma remarked that improved quality in tourism is key to boosting investment and creating value. This, he said, should be the future direction of Taiwan's tourism development. The president pointed out that in the past, the tourism industry was considered a non-smokestack industry. These days, he opined, it can be viewed as an "export industry catering to consumption that takes place domestically." Tourism helps generate interest in Taiwan and projects Taiwan's soft power throughout the world, he said.
Among those attending the event were Secretary-General to the President Timothy Chin-Tien Yang (楊進添), the premier, the vice premier, ministers without portfolio, the secretary-general of the Executive Yuan, the deputy secretaries-general of the Executive Yuan, the Executive Yuan spokesperson, and the heads of government agencies.