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No political influence in foreign aid: president

ROC Central News Agency

2009/08/18 20:41:16

By Rachel Chan

Taipei, Aug. 18 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou denied Tuesday that China played a role in his administration's decision to accept international assistance in the wake of Typhoon Morakot, saying that all international assistance is "purely humanitarian." "We consider this assistance humanitarian and we don't politicize the assistance. Whatever the assistance is, we will take that attitude," Ma said at a news conference for foreign media outlets.

According to Ma, his government welcomed "all international assistance from the very beginning" and all humanitarian aid is treated the same.

"We accepted donations from the U.S., Japan, Singapore and China.

We also accepted donations of materials from other countries.

We don't have any political attitude, they are purely humanitarian," Ma said.

Ma and his administration have been lambasted over the past week by the media, both domestic and international, as well as typhoon victims and members of the public, for declining offers of foreign assistance in the wake of the natural disaster.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was panned in particular for issuing instructions Aug. 11 to all MOFA's foreign representative offices to decline offers by their host governments of aid supplies or rescuers.

Media reports said that the rejection of foreign aid was for fear that it would upset China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan.

The issue caused Deputy Foreign Minister Andrew Hsia to tender his resignation for what he called "a technical error made out of negligence." His superior, Foreign Minister Francisco Ou, was out of the country at the time.

Ma said that he and Premier Liu Chao-shiuan decided that Hsia should be responsible for the negligence.

"The resignation is now on the premier's desk and I believe he will approve it," the president said.

Ma added that an overall review of blame of his government and the punishment of relevant officials will be carried out in early September, as it is more important at present to focus on the resettlement of the typhoon victims and the start of the reconstruction process.

Noting that the scale of destruction brought by Typhoon Morakot is unprecedented and describing it as a result of global warming, Ma said Taiwan needs to take more effective measures in the face of similar situations.

According to Ma, the government is drafting a Homeland Planning Act that will divide the country into different regions and identify those areas that are unsuitable for human habitation.

In addition to making arrangements and providing incentives for those living in dangerous zones to leave, the government will also work on public education on the importance of evacuation in the face of mudslides.

"We believe that disasters cannot be prevented but can only be mitigated," Ma said.