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Ma vows to maintain national security

In a muted address on Double Ten National Day, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday urged China to “face reality” and promised he would not sacrifice Taiwan’s national security when seeking cross-strait detente.

Government celebrations were canceled this year in the wake of Typhoon Morakot.

Ma said Taiwan and China still had doubts and differences with historical roots that would take time to resolve.

“The peaceful development of cross-strait relations requires that both sides have confidence in each other, face reality and proceed gradually to build trust and put aside minor differences to find common ground,” he said.

Ma said that although cross-strait ties had improved dramatically since he took office, he had not ignored China’s military threat and would not seek peace at the expense of national security.

The government will work to improve national defense, he said.

“We will work aggressively on building a professional army with volunteer soldiers — an army that is small but strong and of the best quality, so it can ensure the safety of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu,” he said.

Traditionally, the president delivers a Double Ten Day address to the nation outside the Presidential Office and an address to government officials inside the office, and a parade is held in front of the building.

In his statement yesterday, Ma said he canceled this year’s celebrations in August after the Morakot disaster, which left at least 700 people dead. Ma pledged to improve safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.

He praised the government, the public, charities and volunteers for their roles in the relief efforts and said that China had helped Taiwan after Morakot just as Taiwan had helped China after last year’s Sichuan quake.

The feeling on both sides of the Taiwan Strait that “blood is thicker than water,” is cause for optimism on cross-strait relations, he said.

Over the past 60 years, Ma said the history and culture of the Republic of China (ROC) and Taiwan have integrated and developed into “a Chinese culture with a unique Taiwanese character.”

Lauding his cross-strait policy, Ma said the two sides had signed nine agreements based on the so-called “1992 consensus” since he took office, gradually building trust.

Apart from the financial memorandum of understanding and the economic cooperation framework agreement that Taiwan and China hope to sign in the near future, Ma said much work remained to be done.

He hailed his foreign policy, saying both sides had extended goodwill and put an end to competition on the diplomatic front.

His “flexible” foreign policy has not only stabilized relations with the country’s diplomatic allies, but has strengthened mutual trust with non-allies and raised Taiwan’s international status, he said.

Although this year’s national day was low-key, Ma said Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) would head a committee to organize year-long activities to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ROC in 2011.

Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) will serve as Siew’s deputies. The 111-member committee will consist of government officials, business leaders, entertainers, representatives of civic groups and others.

Also See: Taiwanese celebrate Double-Ten
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