On the morning of December 1, President Ma Ying-jeou attended the opening ceremonies of the 2014 International Austronesian Conference, which was organized by the Executive Yuan's Council of Indigenous Peoples. In addition to explaining the experiences of governance among indigenous tribes here and things that have been done to promote international contacts among indigenous peoples, the president reiterated that the ROC government is pleased to participate in international interaction and cooperation in order to further protect the rights and interests of indigenous peoples.
In remarks, President Ma first greeted the visitors attending the conference in the 16 indigenous tribal languages of Taiwan. He then stated that the Council of Indigenous Peoples held the first Assembly of Austronesian Leaders 12 years ago in 2002. Each year, he said, experts and scholars from the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas are invited to attend the forum, making this conference extremely meaningful.
President Ma remarked that the world is home to about 200 million Austronesian people, who are widely spread out throughout the world, from Madagascar off the coast of Africa all the way to Easter Island off of South America. In addition, the president said, anthropological research suggests that the indigenous peoples in Taiwan and the South Pacific have a common ancestry, so the government has launched an exchange project to encourage people with an Austronesian background to engage in interaction and cooperation.
President Ma stated that last year the ROC and New Zealand signed the Agreement between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC), which has a special chapter for Cooperation on Indigenous Issues that provides for appropriate protection of the rights of indigenous people as a minority culture. He said that this was the first time in history that a treaty or agreement between the ROC and a foreign party included a chapter on indigenous peoples, which highlights the importance that the two sides place on indigenous peoples. The agreement also promotes contacts among indigenous peoples from both sides, he mentioned, adding that over the past year indigenous peoples have made reciprocal visits and China Airlines in March of this year began flying a plane on its New Zealand route with special livery that depicts a scene from an indigenous village in Taiwan. This helps market tourism to villages of Taiwan's indigenous tribes and New Zealand's Maori, and constitutes an important milestone in interaction among Austronesian peoples, the president said.
President Ma noted that the ROC's Constitution was amended four times in the 1990s, at which time new language was added to provide constitutional protections for Taiwan's indigenous peoples, addressing such matters as their ethnic status, political participation, education and culture, water rights, and health care. President Ma remarked that when inaugurated as president in 2008 he declared that policies on indigenous peoples would be guided by four major principles: respect for differences, fairness and justice, self-governance, and autonomous development. He further mentioned that when he was re-elected to another term in 2012, he vowed his commitment to protecting the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples and respecting their diverse cultures. The president also said he hopes to nurture the unique cultures of these peoples. He commented that this stance is closely related to the main theme of this year's conference, "Good Governance and Indigenous Development: Its Applications and Prospects."
The president stated that today marks the third time he has attended the International Austronesian Conference and that the focus of this conference echoed this year's United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which featured the theme of "Principles of good governance consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: articles 3 to 6 and 46." President Ma said that experts, scholars, and representatives from Taiwan and overseas have been invited to this year's conference to exchange opinions and provide a new model for cooperation between Taiwan and the international community.
The president stressed that the existence and development of indigenous peoples enriches cultural diversity and at the same time boosts a nation's competitiveness. As a result, respecting the culture, languages, and lifestyles of indigenous peoples, and providing appropriate protections, are global trends, he said. He acknowledged that indigenous peoples have been discriminated against and mistreated in the past, but the situation is getting better. This, he remarked, is a sign of progress in a civilized nation, adding that the government will continue to work in this direction.