Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
During a visit to the Los Angeles-based think tank the Rand Corporation, academics questioned Ma about the feasibility of his proposed China policy initiatives -- the "five dos."
Ma introduced a program for engagement with China in a speech at Harvard University on March 20, which he labeled the "five dos."
The five points of the initiative are: To resume negotiations between Taiwan and China based on the so-called "1992 consensus" (agreeing to disagree about the definition of "one China"); to reach a peace accord with confidence building measures; to facilitate economic exchanges with the aim of eventually establishing a common market; to work with China to boost Taiwan's presence in international bodies and to expand educational and cultural exchanges.
Ma said that four out of the "five dos" had already been mostly implemented, as result of former KMT chairman Lien Chan's (
"As for the fifth one, concerning education, I think it shouldn't pose too much of a problem," Ma said.
During his stay in Los Angeles, Ma also had an interview with CNN, in which he reiterated the KMT's hope of signing an accord with China that would promise cross-strait peace for a period of 30-50 years.
Ma also visited Los Angeles Mayor Antonia Villaraigosa. The two vowed to promote artistic exchanges between the two cities.
They also shared views and experiences regarding respective municipal projects, such as the provision of wireless broadband Internet services, but Villaraigosa said his city was "obviously behind" Taipei City on this issue.
Ma also gave a speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council entitled "Peace and Stability in East Asia -- Taiwan's Role."
The content of the speech was more or less the same as a previous speech he delivered to the Brookings Institute in Washington last week.
Ma is slated to return to Taiwan early today from Los Angeles -- the last leg of a US tour that has taken him to New York, Boston, Washington and San Francisco.
Back in Taipei, the KMT caucus yesterday held a news conference to praise Ma's performance as he concluded his visit to the US.
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