President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of March 31 attended the Roundtable on Rational Thinking and Public Policy-making, which was held at the Grand Hotel in downtown Taipei by the Commonwealth Publishing Group. The president exchanged opinions with other guests, including 2002 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences Prof. Daniel Kahneman, on how to best carry out public policy-making.
In opening remarks delivered at the symposium, the president noted that Prof. Kahneman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2002, and his work, in which he has called for decision-making based on rational thought rather than intuitive judgment has had an important impact on a number of policies in Taiwan.
The president mentioned that on a visit to Australia six years ago he came into contact with many who criticized the ROC for engaging in so-called checkbook diplomacy. At that time, said the president, he believed that this problem stemmed from the struggle between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait in the international community. Subsequently, the president said, his thoughts on this issue gradually became an important policy during his presidential campaign, when he advocated a policy of reconciliation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and a policy of "viable diplomacy" to resolve cross-strait tensions and lessen unfriendliness toward Taiwan in the international community.
President Ma stated that his administration has actively sought for the past five years to improve relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Over this period, the two sides have signed 18 agreements, effectively achieving reconciliation, he said, adding that the previous administration gained three new diplomatic allies while losing nine, which meant a net loss of six diplomatic partners during that period. However, under the current administration, the president said, the ROC's diplomatic relations with its 23 allies have remained quite stable. President Ma noted that he recently visited the Vatican to attend the inauguration ceremonies for Pope Francis. He cited this as an example of the success of his policies, noting that eight years ago the Vatican placed restrictions on visits by high-ranking officials from the ROC after then President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) attended a memorial mass for Pope John Paul II. President Ma noted, however, that he did not encounter any restrictions whatsoever during this trip to the Vatican, and officials there welcomed him to extend his stay. This shows that his government has promoted rational and pragmatic methods, and that this style has led to cross-strait reconciliation while also winning Taiwan goodwill in the international community.
The president then turned to the subject of whether construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant should be halted, which has been in the forefront of debate here recently. President Ma stated that this issue touches on topics much broader than whether a particular nuclear power plant should be built. Rather, it is vital to Taiwan's policies on nuclear power and energy in general, he said. A nation that relies on imports for 98% of its energy needs, said president, must face up to the challenge of deciding what type of nuclear energy policy and energy policy in general would boost its energy independence and reduce its reliance on imports. The government hopes to hold a referendum on whether the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant should be completed, he said, for a number of reasons. For one thing, many opposition party members and foes of nuclear power advocate a referendum. Also, a referendum would offer members of the public an opportunity to express their opinions on this issue. In the process of making a decision on whether to halt construction of the plant, people would come to see that there is a price to be paid regardless whether construction is halted or not. Once that decision is made, the president said, everyone will need to be prepared for the consequences both psychologically and practically.
President Ma stressed that the government's ultimate goal is for Taiwan to become a "nuclear-free nation." The decision facing us now is whether this is to be achieved immediately or over a period of time. He said that if the public fully understands the challenges and the consequences of both options before making its decision, then as long as everyone together accepts the consequences, it will help to create greater social harmony. At the same time, President Ma stated, it will take some time before a referendum on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant can be held. This will afford society a better opportunity to understand the issue, and over the course of this period the government will provide ample and transparent information to enable the public to make the best decision. As the roots of democracy work their way deeper into Taiwanese society, he added, the referendum on the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant will help to promote the role of civil society here, and Prof. Kahneman's viewpoints on the attitudes and methods of decision-making will have great reference value for Taiwan at this critical juncture.
After completing his remarks, President Ma, Prof. Kahneman, Commonwealth Publishing Group Founder and Chairman Charles H. C. Kao (高希均), University System of Taiwan Chancellor Ovid J. L. Tzeng (曾志朗), and National Central University Chair Professor Daisy Lan Hung (洪蘭) exchanged opinions on how to strike a balance between economic development and protection of the environment, how to avoid distorting facts in the process of making decisions, and how to keep emotions from affecting the making of public policy.
Among those attending the forum were Environmental Protection Administration Minister Stephen Shu-hung Shen (沈世宏), Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Lin Chu-Chia (林祖嘉), Delta Electronics Inc. Honorary Chairman Bruce Cheng (鄭崇華), Kindom Construction Corp. Chairman Timothy Ma (馬玉山), Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation Chairman Sush-Der Lee (李述德), Chunghwa Telecom Co. Ltd. Chairman Shyue-Ching Lu (呂學錦), SinoPac Holdings Chairman Ho Show-Chung (何壽川), Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association Chairman Arthur Yu-cheng Chiao (焦佑鈞), National Chengchi University Department of Finance Prof. Edward H. Chow (周行一), Commonwealth Publishing Group Founder and CEO Cora Wang (王力行), and Global Views Monthly Vice President and Editor-in-Chief Ma-Li Yang (楊瑪利).