President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) told US Representative James Sensenbrenner Jr on Wednesday that Taiwan hopes the US Congress will support its efforts to join international organizations and sign a bilateral extradition agreement with the US.
Sensenbrenner, accompanied by his wife, is on a weeklong visit to Taipei that began on Tuesday.
Receiving the couple at the Presidential Office, Ma said progress in cross-strait relations is closely related to the development of US-Taiwan relations, citing the significance of US military sales to Taiwan’s security and talks with China.
As Taiwan is seeking more international participation, the president asked Sensenbrenner for his support in helping realize the aspiration of Taiwan’s people to participate in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the International Aviation Organization (IAO) and other international organizations.
Referring to Ma’s expectations to sign an extradition agreement and a reciprocal visa-free agreement with the US, Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Wisconsin, said more discussion is needed before such agreements can be signed.
Meanwhile, former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) is in South Korea on a four-day visit at the invitation of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) to attend an international leadership conference yesterday and today.
Lu and her entourage arrived in Seoul on Tuesday.
REVEREND MOON
She said upon her arrival that during her stay, she would give a brief speech at the opening ceremony of the leadership conference today and attend a banquet in celebration of the 90th birthday of UPF founder Reverend Sun Myung Moon.
Before departing for the US tomorrow evening, Lu will also meet with South Korean politicians and civic leaders on human rights issues.
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