President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of November 17 with a delegation from the Center for a New American Security's Next Generation National Security Leaders Program. After citing recent examples of the close and friendly relationship between Taiwan and the US, the president explained that the cross-strait leaders meeting in Singapore was significant in four ways.
In remarks, President Ma stated that since taking office in 2008 his administration has done everything possible to deepen ROC-US relations. Today, more than seven years later, bilateral relations are better than they have ever been since the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) was enacted 36 years ago. Whereas there were only 90 bilateral agreements signed before 2008, there are now 147. And American officials responsible for Asian affairs have repeatedly cast bilateral relations in a positive light, he stated. Examples include US Secretary of State John Kerry, who responded to a written letter by US House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce this past May, saying that Taiwan is a "key component" in the US rebalance to Asia policy. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton, in an address at the Brookings Institution, also reiterated that Taiwan is a vital partner of the US in East Asia, while also stressing that "the US-Taiwan 'unofficial relationship' has never been better.… And it must be said that an important ingredient of the close cooperation in recent years has been the stable management of cross-strait ties."
The president noted that over the past seven years Taiwan has posted an aggregate trade surplus of US$96.4 billion with the US. Therefore, Taiwan is working to balance bilateral trade, including spending US$18.3 billion acquiring defensive materiel, sending four agricultural missions that bought US$12.3 billion of US agricultural products, and placing orders for Boeing aircraft worth over US$20 billion. In addition, the ROC has responded to the SelectUSA investment initiative by pledging some US$13.1 billion.
President Ma stated that since he took office major arms sales to Taiwan by the US have exceeded US$18.3 billion, the highest total in the past two decades, and twice what was sold during his predecessor's administration. In November of last year the US Congress also approved the Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2014 to sell Taiwan four Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, materially assisting the ROC Navy's defense capabilities. In addition, the US invited Taiwan to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) and Red Flag training exercises. All of these examples demonstrate that the US administrative and legislative branches remain committed to upholding the TRA and the Six Assurances, and fulfilling the US security commitment to Taiwan, said the president.
President Ma then pointed out that since taking office he has actively worked to enhance Taiwan-US relations and improve cross-strait relations. His administration has consistently sought, under the framework of the ROC Constitution, to maintain the status quo, defined as "no unification, no independence, and no use of force" in the Taiwan Strait, and has acted on the basis of the 1992 Consensus—whereby each side acknowledges the existence of "one China" but maintains its own interpretation of what that means—to seek peaceful cross-strait relations. He noted that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have signed 23 agreements to date, and that the ministers in charge of cross-strait affairs from both sides have held seven formal meetings where both sides used their official titles. This shows that cross-strait relations are more stable and peaceful than they have ever been in the 66 years that the two sides have been under separate rule.
The president stated that on November 7 he met with mainland Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) in Singapore to consolidate peace in the Taiwan Strait and maintain the cross-strait status quo, which was significant for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations in four ways. First, he said, it marked the first meeting between the leaders of the two sides since Taiwan and mainland China came under separate rule 66 years ago, demonstrating to the world that the leaders of the two sides want to resolve disputes through peaceful means. This also set a positive example for other areas throughout the international community facing similar situations, President Ma remarked.
Second, the president said that the meeting was the first time in the 23 years since the 1992 Consensus was reached that the leaders of the two sides affirmed that the 1992 Consensus is the key political foundation shared by both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and is part and parcel of the cross-strait status quo, he said. During their meeting, President Ma explained the 1992 Consensus to Mr. Xi, stating that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait uphold the "one China" principle, but can express their respective interpretations verbally. That is the 1992 Consensus—"one China, respective interpretations"—and our side's interpretation of "one China" does not include "two Chinas," "one China and one Taiwan," or "Taiwan independence," which are not permitted under the Constitution of the Republic of China, he said.
President Ma feels that the aforementioned position is extremely clear and also has the support of the majority of the Taiwan public. According to the latest public opinion poll by the Executive Yuan's Mainland Affairs Council over 60% of the public supports the Ma-Xi meeting, while only 26% do not; 60% of the respondents agreed with President Ma giving Mr. Xi a full explanation of the 1992 Consensus, which is "one China, respective interpretations," while only about 20% disagreed. President Ma stressed that the "one China" that the government is referring to is, of course, the Republic of China, and that he has clearly explained this concept numerous times.
President Ma then went on to say that the Ma-Xi meeting established a new model for meetings between the leaders of the two sides that future leaders can follow, continuing peaceful cross-strait exchanges and sustaining the mutually beneficial, win-win status quo. This was also the first time that our side formally raised issues, such as the mainland's military deployment aimed at Taiwan and the squeezing of Taiwan's international space, in a face-to-face meeting with the mainland Chinese leader. We, the president said, asked the mainland to address the Taiwan public's concerns regarding security and dignity and show goodwill by taking concrete action. The government will closely monitor the responses to Mr. Xi's promise, made during the cross-strait leaders meeting, to discuss these concerns with the relevant mainland authorities.
The president said the international community closely followed and applauded the cross-strait leaders meeting, and that over 1,000 reports and opinion pieces about the meeting have appeared in the international media. Nine officials from the US White House, State Department, and the National Security Council have affirmed and welcomed the meeting, while officials from other nations including Japan, Singapore, Russia, and Korea, and the European Union have also applauded the Ma-Xi meeting, said the president.
President Ma commented that he met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong following his meeting with Mr. Xi, and that Prime Minister Lee had high praise for the meeting, and said that he was very gratified that Singapore, 22 years after hosting the meeting between Mr. Koo Chen-fu (辜振甫), former Chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation, and Mr. Wang Daohan (汪道涵), former Chairman of mainland China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, has been able to serve as an important bridge between the two sides once again. The president then noted that Indonesia has even come forward and expressed its willingness to serve as the host for the next cross-strait leaders meeting.
The president stressed that the ROC makes every effort to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait and is also playing the role of peacemaker in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. We signed a fisheries agreement with Japan three years ago that resolved fishing disputes between the two sides that had lasted 40 years and increased the catches for fishermen from both sides. This past May, President Ma also proposed the South China Sea Peace Initiative, extending the concept underlying the East China Sea Peace Initiative—"although sovereignty over national territory cannot be compromised, natural resources can be shared"—to the South China Sea. The ROC and the Philippines have also reached three points of consensus on law enforcement at sea in overlapping exclusive economic zones, agreeing to refrain from using force in law enforcement actions, notify each other prior to such actions, and promptly release detained fishing vessels and crews in case of arrest. These measures, the president said, will reduce the chance of conflict between the two countries.
President Ma then stated that while the ROC government stands by its claim that the islands of the South China Sea and their surrounding waters are, traditionally, under ROC jurisdiction, he also emphasized that all countries should enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. At the same time, all interested parties should comply with international law and resolve related disputes peacefully.
The delegation was led by Michèle Flournoy, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security.