During a meeting on the afternoon of November 14 with a delegation from the Italian Senate's Committee on Environment, Environmental Properties and the Land, President Ma Ying-jeou said that conditions are increasingly ripe for the ROC and the European Union (EU) to sign an economic cooperation agreement, and called on Italy to support negotiations on such an accord, which he said would further enhance the bilateral economic and trade relationship.
In remarks, the president stated that Chinese and Italian culture have links that date back many centuries. In the 13th century, he noted, Marco Polo came to China as a merchant and ultimately served as a government official in the Chinese court, he said. Marco Polo documented his travels in the renowned The Travels of Marco Polo, he added. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the president said, the Italian Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci came to China, and in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Giuseppe Castiglione was a court painter for the Kangxi (康熙), Yongzheng (雍正), and Qianlong (乾隆) emperors, and also helped to bring Chinese astronomy, geography, science, and artistic development to higher levels.
President Ma stated that while Taiwan and Italy do not maintain formal diplomatic relations, the two have close trade, economic, and cultural ties. Italy is Taiwan's fifth largest trading partner in Europe, and bilateral trade last year came to about US$4 billion. In the area of technology, the ROC's National Science Council and the Italian National Research Council have signed an Agreement on Scientific Cooperation, under which the two sides jointly finance vetted research projects and arrange for reciprocal group visits, he commented. In the cultural sphere, President Ma noted, artists and artistic groups from Taiwan frequently take part in the Biennales of Art and Architecture in Venice and other cultural activities and performances in Italy. The president also pointed out that in March of this year he led a delegation from the ROC to attend the inauguration ceremonies for Pope Francis in the Vatican. He noted that the Italian government made appropriate arrangements for him to enter the country, adding that this shows the friendly state of relations between the two sides.
President Ma said that he has actively sought to improve ties with mainland China since taking office in 2008, and these efforts have shifted cross-strait relations from contention to a focus on peace and prosperity. The two sides have signed the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement and the Cross-Strait Trade in Services Agreement, he said, and economic and trade ties are progressing smoothly, which is gaining Taiwan more breathing space in the international community. In addition to signing with Japan (its second largest trading partner) the Taiwan-Japan Bilateral Investment Arrangement, and resuming negotiations with the United States (its third largest trading partner) under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, Taiwan has also signed the Agreement between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC) and the Agreement between Singapore and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Partnership (ASTEP), he said. This shows that conditions are increasingly ripe for Taiwan and the EU to negotiate an economic cooperation agreement, the president stated. He also mentioned that the European Parliament on the eve of this year's Double Tenth National Day passed a resolution supporting the development of trade and economic relations between Taiwan and the EU and the signing of a free trade agreement between the two sides, so the president called on Italy to support the EU in taking this step, which he said will ultimately enhance the economic and trade relationship between the two sides.
President Ma also expressed his deepest appreciation on behalf of the government and people of Taiwan for the EU's longstanding support for Taiwan in its efforts to participate in the World Health Assembly, join the Agreement on Government Procurement, and take part in the 38th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization, as well as other international organizations and activities. The president encouraged the delegation to take advantage of their visit to better understand Taiwan in the areas of environmental protection, its energy policies, and its political, economic, and cultural climate. He said this would spur further interaction and cooperation.
The delegation included Italian Senators Massimo Caleo and Paolo Arrigoni, and Senior Advisor Nicolo De Salvo. The group was led by Giuseppe Francisco Maria Marinello, President of the Italian Senate's Committee on Environment, Environmental Properties and the Land. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Italian Economic, Trade and Cultural Promotion Office in Taipei Representative Mario Palma to meet President Ma.