President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said his government would “cautiously consider” whether the nation should sign a peace agreement with China within the next decade, but added that such a move would require strong domestic backing.
“We are now thinking of cautiously considering whether we should sign a cross-strait peace agreement within the next decade, as the two sides’ relations are gradually improving,” Ma said during a press conference at the Presidential Office where he presented the latest in a series of plans for his “golden decade” blueprint for the country’s development over the next 10 years.
However, Ma, who is running for re-election in the Jan. 14 presidential election, said his administration would only do so if it had strong domestic support and if such a pact met the needs of the country. Any pact would have to be supervised by the legislature, he added.
When asked by reporters to elaborate on the specifics, such as content, preparation and a timetable, Ma first said that signing a peace agreement with China was not a priority at present, before adding that it did not feel right to present a 10-year plan that omitted any mention of a pact because that might imply Taipei would not want to sign a peace agreement in the next 10 years.
He later said the issue of an agreement with China was a public policy open to discussion and all opinions would be considered. The pact would be signed only if it were beneficial to Taiwanese, he added.
Ma did not make a mention of his previous remarks that called on Beijing to remove its missiles aimed at Taiwan as the precondition for negotiations on a cross-strait peace treaty.
Ma also said the two sides should set up representative offices in each other’s territories to deal with continuing cross-strait talks, which so far have concentrated on economic ties.
While highlighting continued reconciliation with Beijing, Ma said he would bolster Taiwan’s defenses against a possible Chinese attack.
“We need to demonstrate our resolution to defend ourselves so the public will feel confident enough to allow the government to continue reinforcing mainland ties,” Ma said.
He added that the peace initiative would not come at the expense of existing ties with the US and Japan, Taiwan’s key strategic partners.
Ma also proposed that Taiwan and China move toward a new level of cooperation on global issues, such as food safety, public health, humanitarian aid, green energy and climate change, according to a statement from the Presidential Office.
Ma vowed to continue to promote institutionalized talks between the two sides. Such talks began after Ma took office in 2008.
Ma faces a re-election challenge from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). Polls indicate a close race.
In response, DPP spokesperson Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said under Ma’s so-called “1992 consensus” and “one China” prerequisites, peace talks would be suspected of changing the cross-strait “status quo,” which could start steering Taiwan toward unification.
“The Taiwanese people did not give President Ma the right and authority to initiate talks that would begin political negotiations between the [Taiwan] Strait and eventual unification,” Chen said.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source