Taiwan could negotiate with China over air defense zone
ROC Central News Agency
2014/01/14 20:30:56
Taipei, Jan. 14 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou said Tuesday that Taiwan will not rule out the possibility of negotiations over China's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), which overlaps with Taiwan's in an area covering about 23,000 square kilometers.
Every country affected by China's unilateral ADIZ declaration should conduct talks with China to reduce the chances of future conflicts, Ma said on Taiwan's relations with the United States, Japan and China while meeting with a visiting group from the American Enterprise Institute.
After China announced its ADIZ in November last year, Taiwan reaffirmed its claim to the Diaoyutai Islands, which are administered by Japan as the Senkaku Islands, and stated that its military flights will not be affected when conducting exercises in the area.
Ma said he has been engaged in improving relations with China over the past five years and that the two sides have conducted nine rounds of talks and signed 19 agreements, which shows the most stable Cross-Taiwan Strait relations in 60 years.
Apart from the economic growth, Ma said the two sides have realized the importance of peace and will further promote peaceful development.
In addition, Taiwan will continue to play the role of a peacemaker and provider of humanitarian aid in Southeast Asia, Ma said.
For example, Ma said, a fishery agreement signed with Japan last April has reduced tension in the disputed waters around the Diaoyutais.
Regarding relations with the U.S., Taiwan has managed to regain the trust of top officials by adopting a low profile and risk-free measures since he took office in 2008, Ma went on.
Hopefully Taiwan can join the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership led by the U.S, and take part in the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in the future, Ma added. ( By Huang Ming-hsi and Maia Huang)
ENDITEM/J
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
