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Improved cross-strait ties in interests of Taiwan, U.S., China: Ma

ROC Central News Agency

2013/06/10 18:20:35

Taipei, June 10 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou on Monday hailed the explicit support for the progress made in improving cross-Taiwan Strait relations expressed by United States President Barack Obama in his recent summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

"Obama's acknowledgement of improvement in cross-strait relations on such an occasion is of great significance," Ma said while meeting with ruling Kuomintang (KMT) honorary Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung, who will soon meet Xi in Beijing.

Ma said Obama's remarks indicate that improvement in cross-strait ties is not only in the interests of Taiwan and China but also the interests of the U.S.

"It's evident that this is a policy that is very much worth supporting," the president said.

Obama and Xi touched on Taiwan during their two days of talks on June 7-8, and the U.S. president made clear his administration's commitment to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, including to provide for Taiwan's self-defense needs.

But he also voiced his strong support for the efforts made by both sides of the Taiwan Strait in recent years to improve bilateral relations.

"We hope the progress will continue and in a manner acceptable to both sides," Obama was quoted by his deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes as having told Xi.

On Wu's forthcoming trip to China, Ma said the visit was very important because a KMT heavyweight will visit Beijing for the first time since China completed its leadership transition in March.

"Wu's visit will offer a precious opportunity for the ruling parties of both sides to review developments in bilateral ties over the past five-plus years and consider directions for future development," said Ma, who concurrently serves as KMT chairman.

Ma recalled that Wu visited Beijing soon after he took office five years ago to meet with then Communist Party of China (CPC) General Secretary Hu Jintao to set the tone for the development of cross-strait ties.

Though substantial progress has been made in cross-strait relations since then, Ma said, the two sides need a new vision, new ideas and new momentum to help the two sides sustain peace and prosperity.

Noting that the expansion and deepening of cross-strait ties has been a key policy priority of his administration, Ma said he looked forward to more exchanges with China.

Wu will depart for Beijing June 12 at the head of a KMT delegation whose members will include Chan Chun-po, a former deputy chairman of the party; Hung Hsiu-chu and Huang Min-hui, both KMT deputy chairwomen; and Su Chi, presidium chair of the party's Central Advisory Committee, who is also a former mainland affairs minister and secretary general of the National Security Council.

Wu and his delegation are scheduled to meet with Xi, who concurrently serves as CPC general secretary, on the afternoon of June 13, according to Fan Liqing, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council.

(By Kelven Huang and Sofia Wu)