President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of November 14 with a delegation from the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group. Apart from welcoming the parliamentarians, who were in Taiwan to take part in the Terry Fox Run to be held on November 15, the president also called for further enhancement of friendly ties between the two countries.
In remarks, President Ma pointed out that friendship group Chair John Weston resided here for over 10 years and has a deep affection for Taiwan. The president stated that in the time of leading the friendship group, Chair Weston has strived to promote interaction between the two countries and has helped resume the Terry Fox Run in Taiwan, which had been discontinued in 2007. President Ma said he is deeply appreciative.
The president stated that Jordan Weston, the daughter of Mr. Weston, wrote to him many times expressing hope that the Terry Fox Run could be revived in Taiwan, and that he was delighted to see it finally happening this year thanks to the efforts of the people of both nations. The president also recognized the work carried out in this regard by University of Taipei President Tai Hsia-Ling (戴遐齡).
President Ma praised the heroism and determination of Terry Fox in his battle against cancer and for his ideals. Terry Fox played basketball as a student, and though he was not particularly tall, he worked harder than others on the court. At the recommendation of his coaches, he got into distance running, the president said. Later, despite a leg amputation due to bone cancer, he used a prosthesis to run over 5,000 kilometers across Canada to raise money for cancer research. President Ma cited the accomplishments of Terry Fox as one of the most inspiring stories of the 20th century.
The president noted that after the passing of Terry Fox, his family members established a foundation to continue raising money through charity runs. Several hundred cities around the world responded by holding runs, and hundreds of millions of US dollars were raised, President Ma said. He added that since his days as minister of justice he has taken part in the Terry Fox Run 12 times and served as executive director of the organizing committee here . The funds raised through the run have gone to local hospitals for cancer research, said the president.
Commenting on Taiwan-Canada relations, President Ma noted that Canada's foreign minister, after the presidential elections here in 2008 and 2012, issued messages of congratulations, and that the Canadian government twice dispatched delegations to Taiwan to take part in his inauguration ceremonies.
In terms of economic and trade ties, the president stated, over the past two years bilateral trade has amounted to about C$6 billion each year, and Taiwan is Canada's fourth largest trading partner in Asia and 11th largest in the world. President Ma pointed out that bilateral negotiations on a double taxation avoidance agreement have been completed and the two sides are expected to sign it soon. He also expressed hope that the two sides will sign a foreign investment protection agreement, which would strengthen investment and economic cooperation while solidifying the foundation for the two sides to eventually sign an economic cooperation agreement.
Addressing the topic of bilateral ties between Taiwan and Canada, the president said that significant progress has been seen over the past six years. A youth working holiday agreement has been well-received here, with the 1,000 slots available each year insufficient to meet demand. And he noted that in November 2010 Canada began providing visa-free courtesies to ROC nationals, as a result of which the number of tourists from Taiwan visiting Canada rose 18% from 2012 to 2013. Meanwhile, he stated, in November of last year the two countries signed an amended aviation agreement that increased the number of flights between the two countries from 13 to 17 per week, and the number will further rise to 21 next year, which attests to the close and friendly relations between the two sides.
President Ma then expressed hope that Canada will support Taiwan's quest to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). In particular, he noted, at this year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, the United States and other nations said that the TPP and the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) could be merged, an indication that APEC member states have reached a consensus on regional economic integration. Furthermore, he mentioned, the director general of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Civil Aeronautics Administration in September of last year attended the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal. The president expressed hope that Taiwan can further participate in ICAO activities and obtain air safety information for the busy air corridors over Taiwan.
Lastly, President Ma thanked Chair Weston for sending him a letter of congratulations on being awarded the Eisenhower Medallion. The president reiterated that the ROC will continue to play the role of peacemaker in the Asia-Pacific region.