President Ma Ying-jeou met with US House of Representatives Member Eddie Bernice Johnson on the afternoon of January 23.
In remarks, the president stated that Congresswoman Johnson is presently the Democratic Party's Ranking Member on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and on numerous occasions has called on the US administration to continue to sell arms to Taiwan. She also has called for the speedy signing of a free trade agreement between Taiwan and the United States, and supports observer status for Taiwan in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the president stated, further commenting that the people and government of Taiwan will always remember these gestures.
President Ma noted that since taking office in 2008 he has worked hard to improve US-Taiwan relations by taking a "low key, no surprises" approach that has gradually restored mutual trust at the highest levels of government. In addition, he mentioned, over the past six years major sales of arms by the United States to Taiwan have exceeded US$18 billion, and in November of 2012, Taiwan was formally included in the US Visa Waiver Program. All of these developments are perfect examples of substantive progress in relations between the two sides in the areas of security and tourism, the president remarked.
President Ma further stated that in February 2013 Taiwan and the United States signed a comprehensively revised Agreement on Privileges, Exemptions and Immunities, while in March the two sides resumed negotiations under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement. And in October of the same year, former Vice President Vincent C. Siew (蕭萬長), while attending the 21st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on his behalf, engaged in bilateral discussions with US Secretary of State John F. Kerry, and the two exchanged in-depth opinions on Taiwan's desire to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), he said. The following month, former Vice President Siew led a delegation of influential business leaders from Taiwan to the United States to promote economic and trade relations between the two countries, the president noted. He expressed his hope to sign a bilateral investment agreement with the United States as soon as possible.
The president explained that 2014 will be a critical year for Taiwan in its quest to join the TPP and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He expressed hope that the United States will support Taiwan's entry into the TPP, which would enable Taiwan to better participate in economic integration within the Asia-Pacific region and avoid being marginalized.
As for cross-strait relations, the president stated that since he took office the ROC government has sought, under the framework of the ROC Constitution, to maintain the status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force" in the Taiwan Strait, and to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait ties under the "1992 Consensus," whereby each side acknowledges the existence of "one China" but maintains its own interpretation of what that means. To date, the two sides have signed 19 agreements and brought cross-strait relations to their most peaceful state in the past 60 years, he said, adding that this corresponds to the interests of the United States in Asia.
Lastly, President Ma commented that this year will mark the 35th anniversary of the coming into force of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). The ROC, he said, hopes the United States will continue to act in accordance with the TRA and the "Six Assurances." The president also called on Congresswoman Johnson to continue exercising her influence in the US Congress to forge support for Taiwan's entry into the TPP and to promote cooperation between Taiwan and the United States in the area of security. Progress on both of these fronts will be in the best interest of both nations, he said.