President Ma: progress in cross-strait relations just beginning
ROC Central News Agency
2009/07/31 21:54:50
Taipei, July 31 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou said Friday in an interview with Bloomberg News that progress in cross-strait relations, such as the establishment of direct flights, is just beginning.
The president stressed, however, that while deepening economic ties "are something that nobody can prevent, " China had to stop targeting Taiwan with hundreds of missiles for progress to be achieved in other areas.
He pointed out that the missiles are "very much on the mind of people in Taiwan" and emphasized that while ties with China are "good and getting better, " China needed to remove its missile threat before any peace deal is possible." Upon his being elected as chairman of the Kuomintang last Sunday, Ma received a congratulatory telegram from China's President Hu Jintao, prompting speculation about a possible meeting between the two leaders in the near future.
Ma responded that such a meeting is "ultra-sensitive" and that he's in "no hurry" to meet with Hu.
The president also indicated that Taiwan's opening to Chinese investment needs to proceed cautiously, because of the danger that Taiwanese companies could be swamped by Chinese money, according to the Bloomberg interview.
He also stressed the importance for Taiwan to be properly armed and defended in order to "have the confidence to make a deal with the mainland." (By Lillian Lin) enditem/ls
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