President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday applauded the signing of an open skies agreement between Taiwan and Japan and said the achievement was a result of improved cross-strait relations during his administration.
Taiwan signed the accord with Japan on Thursday, lifting restrictions on the number of airline carriers allowed to offer scheduled passenger services between the two countries.
Ma described the agreement as a “revolutionary change” in the aviation industry.
The aviation pact was another example of Tokyo seeking closer ties with Taipei, following the signing of an investment protection pact between the two countries in September, Ma said, adding that this was thanks to Taiwan’s warming relations with China and the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with Beijing last year.
“We’ve been maintaining a close relationship with Japan, but why didn’t it sign these pacts with us in the past? The key is the improvement of cross-strait relations. Peace across the Taiwan Strait helps expand our international space and this is a virtuous circle,” he said while attending an event organized by a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) think tank.
The think tank set up an association to promote Ma’s “golden decade” policies and re--election campaign policies.
The founder of CommonWealth magazine, Charles Kao (高希均), former Ma adviser Hsu Li-teh (徐立德) and former premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) attended the launch ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kao lauded Ma’s efforts in promoting cross-strait relations, while suggesting that, as the nation’s leader, he should focus more effort on creating economic and educational opportunities rather than trying to solve every problem by acting like a frontline solider.
Ma shrugged off the advice and said that as a national leader who was elected by the people, he has to listen to people’s voices on the front line.
“If I do not meet the people and listen to what they have to say, they would be disappointed. Some would accuse me of being a stay-at-home president. I must take responsibility for the people,” he said.
Ma said cross-strait relations would remain a top priority under his administration, as the government seeks peace across the Strait.
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