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President calls for 'win-win' cross-strait relations

ROC Central News Agency

2008-05-20 15:16:21

    Taipei, May 20 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou extended an olive branch to China Tuesday, calling for cross-strait reconciliation after years of chilly relations to achieve a "win-win' situation for relations across the Taiwan Strait.

    In his inaugural address, Ma also called for a truce in the diplomatic arena, urging the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to seize the historical opportunity to achieve cross-strait peace and co-prosperity.

    Ma reiterated the principle of "no unification, no independence and no use of force, " which he described as the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan's society.

    He also said that "under the framework of the ROC Constitution, we will maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait."

    He called for an early resumption of cross-strait negotiations based on the "1992 Consensus, " noting that in 1992, the two sides reached a consensus on "one China, respective interpretation, " and many rounds of negotiations followed.

    The warmed-up cross-strait relations then chilled after former President Lee Teng-hui described cross-strait relations as "special state-to-state" ties in 1999 and did not improve under pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian, Ma's predecessor, over the past eight years.

    Calling for a shelving of cross-strait controversies, Ma expressed the hope that direct charter flights on weekends and the arrival of mainland tourists in early July this year will launch a new era of cross-strait relations.'

    Ma said that Taiwan will enter consultations with China over Taiwan's international space and a possible cross-strait peace accord. "Taiwan doesn't just want security and prosperity. It wants dignity. Only when Taiwan is no longer being isolated in the international arena can cross-strait relations move forward with confidence," Ma said.

    He noted that Chinese President Hu Jintao's recent remarks on cross-strait relations are "very much in line with our own."

    He was referring to Hu's conversation on March 26 with U.S. President George W. Bush on the "1992 Consensus"; his proposed "four continuations" on April 12 at the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan province; and on April 29 when Hu called for "building mutual trust, shelving controversies, finding commonalities despite differences, and creating together a win-win solution" across the Taiwan Strait.

    The "four continuations" refer to continuing cultural and economic exchanges and cooperation, efforts to develop weekend charter flights and Chinese tourists to Taiwan, concern for Taiwanese people and protecting their rights, and the push for cross- strait negotiations.

    Ma called upon the two sides to pursue reconciliation and a truce in both the cross-strait and international arenas. "We should help and respect each other in international organizations and activities," Ma said. "In light of our common Chinese heritage, people on both sides should do their utmost to jointly contribute to the international community without engaging in various competitions and the waste of resources,' Ma continued, aiding that both sides are open minded enough to find a way to attain peace and co-prosperity. "In resolving cross-trait issues, what matters is not sovereignty, but core values and way of life, " he stressed. "We care about the welfare of the 1.3 billion people of mainland China, and hope that mainland China will continue to move toward freedom, democracy and prosperity for all the people," Ma said.

    He also offered sympathy and condolences toward earthquake victims in the Sichuan province, and expressed hope that the reconstruction could be completed at the earliest time.

(By Lilian Wu)

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