On the afternoon of March 29 President Ma Ying-jeou met with a delegation led by Kurt Tong, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the US Department of State. In addition to briefing his visitors on successes achieved by the government in its efforts to improve Taiwan's relations with mainland China and the US, the president also expressed hope for a further deepening of exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and the US.
In remarks, the president stated that Mr. Tong is a steadfast friend of the ROC who has long played an important role in promoting Taiwan-US economic and trade ties as well as bilateral cooperation. On this past March 2 in Washington, DC at a Taiwan Roundtable event on Taiwan-US International Engagement: The Global Cooperation Training Framework and Beyond, Mr. Tong delivered a keynote address at George Washington University in which he reiterated the importance of elevating Taiwan's international profile, welcomed Taiwan's participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the World Health Assembly (WHA), and expressed support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the international Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He also stressed that the US is committed to exploring new ways for Taiwan to earn the dignity and respect that its contributions to global efforts merit. The president offered Mr. Tong sincere thanks for his positive comments.
Commenting on Taiwan-US relations, the president pointed out that in June of 2015 the two countries launched the Taiwan-US Global Cooperation and Training Framework as a platform to enhance substantive bilateral ties, and in October of 2015 they held the first Taiwan-US Digital Economy Forum. These developments were significant steps toward further deepening of bilateral cooperation.
President Ma further pointed out that since 2008 the government has taken a "low key, no surprises" approach to the conduct of substantive Taiwan-US relations, and mutual trust has been restored at the highest levels of government. After eight years of hard work, the number of bilateral agreements between Taiwan and the US has risen from 90 to 154. "On average," he said, "we've signed eight addition agreements per year during my time in office, which is truly impressive." The current US Secretary of State and his predecessor, moreover, have repeatedly made public statements stressing that Taiwan is an important security and economic partner of the US, and that Taiwan is a "key component" in the US rebalance to Asia policy. These facts show that Taiwan-US ties are close and friendly.
Turning to the topic of bilateral economic and trade ties, the president pointed out that last October Taiwan became America's ninth-largest trading partner, up from number ten and ahead of such nations as Saudi Arabia, India, and Brazil. The US, meanwhile, has surpassed Japan in the last two years to become Taiwan's second-largest trading partner. In addition, the US is seriously considering allowing Taiwan to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The president expressed hope that the US will continue taking concrete action to help Taiwan take part in TPP negotiations, so as to further the two sides' cooperation in the area of regional economic integration.
Commenting on security cooperation, President Ma also pointed out that the US has sold Taiwan US$20.1 billion worth of arms over the past eight years, the highest figure over any comparable period in the last 20 years. The US agreed in 2001 to help Taiwan acquire eight diesel-electric submarines, but the US no longer builds this type of submarine, and there has been no progress to date. The Taiwan government has therefore taken steps to launch domestic production of submarines, and hopes that the US will help by providing technology and resources.
President Ma stated his belief that continued progress in Taiwan-US relations is closely related to improved cross-strait ties, and pointed out that over the past eight years the government has worked within the framework of the ROC Constitution to maintain the status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force," 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 peace in the Taiwan Strait. During that same period, the two sides have signed 23 agreements, and the ministers in charge of cross-strait affairs from each side have met seven times, addressing each other using their official titles. In addition, cross-strait tourist arrivals and total two-way trade have hit all-time highs.
The president also remarked that continued improvement in cross-strait ties has built up mutual trust between Taiwan and mainland China to the point that he was able to meet on November 7 last year, predicated on equality and dignity, with mainland Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) in Singapore. The day after the meeting, the US Department of State issued a statement, saying that "The United States welcomes the meeting between leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait…, and we encourage further progress by both sides toward building ties, reducing tensions, and promoting stability on the basis of dignity and respect."
And finally, President Ma reiterated that Taiwan is playing an active role in the international community as a peacemaker and provider of humanitarian aid. In the East China Sea, Taiwan and Japan have thus signed a fisheries agreement. In the South China Sea, Taiwan and the Philippines have signed the Agreement Concerning the Facilitation of Cooperation on Law Enforcement in Fisheries Matters to peacefully resolve disputes. In addition, the US administrative and legislative branches have made nothing but positive comments about Taiwan's active provision of humanitarian aid throughout the world. US House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, for example, spoke in glowing terms about Taiwan's contributions to humanitarian aid at a House hearing.
Looking to the future, the president expressed hope that Taiwan and the US can build on their strong existing cooperative relationship and continue to deepen bilateral cooperation and exchanges.