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Ma congratulates Obama

Advisers to US president-elect Barack Obama in Washington on Wednesday received congratulatory messages from Taiwan on Obama’s stunning and historic victory, praising his election and the US democratic process and expressing the hope that, under the 44th US president, relations between Taipei and Washington would grow stronger.

Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the US, Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) Representative Jason Yuan (袁健生), delivered a hand-written message from President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to Richard Bush, former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan and one of Obama’s chief advisers on Taiwan affairs, TECRO spokesman Vance Chang (張鷹) said.

Bush, who now heads the Center for Northeast Policy Studies at the liberal Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, is believed to have framed the language of Obama’s major policy statements pledging support for Taiwan during the past year.

Asked by the Taipei Times, Bush refused to comment on the contents or form of the letter or how he relayed it to Obama and his campaign.

Yuan also congratulated Obama and vice president-elect Joseph Biden on behalf of Taiwanese and echoed Ma’s sentiments.

“The government and people of the Republic of China attach great importance to the traditional friendship and substantive relations that exist between the ROC and the US,” Yuan said.

“The new ROC government led by President Ma Ying-jeou gives a high priority to rebuilding mutual trust between our two countries. Based on our common interests and our shared values, the ROC is committed to cooperating closely with the US at both a bilateral and multi-lateral level so that the already cordial ties between our two countries may be further strengthened,” Yuan said.

Yuan praised the US electoral system as one that is “admirable and truly reflects the exemplary virtues exhibited by the candidates and the wisdom demonstrated by the American electorate.”

He also expressed the confidence that the Obama administration “will faithfully implement the Taiwan Relations Act and commit to working together with all the countries of the region to promote peace, stability, progress and prosperity worldwide.”

Yuan’s use of Republic of China instead of “Taiwan” reflects an apparent new policy adopted when he took over TECRO in the wake of Ma’s inauguration in May. Previously, under the administration of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), the word “Taiwan” was used.

In addition, during the last year of the term of former representative Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), a prominent Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) official, new TECRO business cards were adorned with a multi-colored graphic of the Taiwan name, featuring a Taiwan flag and the words, “Touch Your Heart.”

On Yuan’s arrival, a long-time Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) official, that national symbol was removed from the cards.




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