President Ma Ying-jeou met on the afternoon of February 10 with American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Managing Director Joseph R. Donovan. During the meeting, the president described the substantive progress in ROC-US relations in recent years, and also emphasized that the ROC will continue to pursue participation in regional economic integration mechanisms such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). This will enable Taiwan to compete with other nations on a fair and equitable basis, he said.
In remarks, President Ma stated that since taking office in 2008 he has embraced the principle of "low key, no surprises" in restoring mutual trust at the highest levels, and in promoting progress in substantive relations. This policy has yielded concrete achievements, he said.
The two nations also maintain a strong relationship in security cooperation, with the president pointing out to the visitors that the United States has sold the ROC over US$18.3 billion worth of arms over the past six years, the highest amount in the past two decades. President Obama on December 18 last year also signed the Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2014, agreeing to sell the ROC four Perry-class frigates. This action demonstrates that the United States is firmly committed to Taiwan's security, said President Ma. He also explained that in light of the ROC's considerable needs, the government has decided to acquire its submarines through a combination of imports and domestic manufacturing, and hopes that the United States will continue to provide assistance in this regard.
As for ROC-US economic and trade relations, President Ma stated that the ROC last year vaulted over India and Saudi Arabia to become the 10th largest trading partner of the United States. Meanwhile, the United States surpassed Japan to become the ROC's second largest trading partner, with bilateral trade growing 7.84% from the previous year, reaching US$62.2 billion. In addition, in 2013 Taiwan and the United States resumed negotiations under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The president expressed hope that the two sides this year will continue to engage in dialogue via the TIFA platform, which will pave the way for the signing of a bilateral investment agreement and an e-commerce agreement, further strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations.
President Ma went on to say that President Obama in 2013 inaugurated the SelectUSA investment program, and that the number of domestic companies taking part made Taiwan the third most active participant in the world. The 2015 SelectUSA Investment Summit will be held in Washington, D.C. in late March, and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) Chairman Francis Kuo-Hsin Liang (梁國新) will lead a delegation of leaders from medium- and large-sized companies here to attend the event and interact with American business leaders, hoping to boost Taiwan investment in the United States.
President Ma then addressed the topic of regional economic integration, remarking that the ROC is actively pursuing participation in the TPP and the RCEP. In February 2014, the government brought its ambassadors to 17 TPP and RCEP member states back to the ROC to attend a workshop and plan a roadmap that would help Taiwan gain membership to these trade blocs. While no substantive progress to this end has yet been seen to date, at least a broader consensus has been reached domestically as to the nation's participation in these mechanisms. The TPP is led by the United States and President Obama's 2015 State of the Union Address on January 20 clearly indicated his support for the completion of related negotiations. President Obama also expressed hope that the US Congress will pass Trade Promotion Authority legislation as soon as possible, granting the administration fast track negotiation authority for trade agreements. This represents the US government's determination to promote the TPP. President Ma stressed that the TPP and the RCEP absorb 35% and 57% of Taiwan's exports, respectively, but in aggregate that figure rises to 70%. Consequently, the ROC government hopes to join these two regional economic integration mechanisms so the ROC can compete with other nations on a level playing field.
The president stated that the ROC government in recent years has sought to actively serve in the international arena as the roles of "regional peacemaker" and "provider of humanitarian aid." In promoting regional peace, the ROC and Japan two years ago signed a fisheries agreement, which has effectively reduced the number of fishing disputes between the two sides and at the same time significantly increased fishermen's catches. Meanwhile, the governments of the ROC and the Philippines peacefully handled an incident in May 2013 in which a Philippine Coast Guard vessel fired on a Taiwanese fishing boat, killing a fisherman and damaging the vessel. Subsequently, the two sides reached a number of points of consensus on law enforcement at sea in overlapping exclusive economic zones.
As for international humanitarian aid, President Ma stated that the ROC immediately provided assistance to the Philippines and Palau after those two nations were severely damaged by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013. The ROC quickly delivered donations of material goods to the disaster areas. The ROC also responded to last year's outbreak of the Ebola virus in Africa by donating 100,000 sets of protective gear to West Africa to aid in outbreak prevention work. The ROC in December also donated US$1 million to the CDC Foundation in the U.S. as part of the international response to the Ebola outbreak.
Lastly, the president expressed his gratitude to the United States for its longstanding assistance and support to the ROC. He also hopes that through the nation's substantive action to promote peace and provide humanitarian aid, and by playing an effective international role, the ROC will become an important asset to the international community.
After President Ma completed his remarks, Managing Director Donovan stated that the United States' commitment to the security and economic autonomy of Taiwan remains unchanged. Bilateral relations are stable, he said, also expressing hope that the two sides can further their discussions and cooperation in the future on important topics such as regional economic integration and food safety.
Managing Director Donovan, on behalf of the US government, then expressed his deepest sympathies to the victims of last week's crash of a TransAsia Airways flight and their families. He stated that while the ROC is handling this incident appropriately, the United States would be willing to provide any assistance it can should it be needed.
Managing Director Donovan was accompanied to the Presidential Office by AIT Taipei Office Director Christopher Marut and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew Jen-Chuan Kao (高振群) to meet with President Ma.