President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said that peace is the foundation for Taiwan’s democratic system and stressed the importance of peace across the Taiwan Strait and in its democracy.
In today’s Taiwan, peace is the foundation for its democratic system, Ma said at a celebration of World Freedom Day, held by the World League for Freedom and Democracy.
Attaching the importance of cross-strait peace to Taiwan’s democracy, Ma said: “If there is no cross-strait peace, that will pose a threat to the development of freedom and democracy.”
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
Over the past 60 years, the nation experienced martial law and the White Terror era, a period of suppression of political dissidents, and Ma described them as the results of the war between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Chinese Communist Party forces.
As such, cross-strait rapprochement and cooperation have been a top priority for his administration since he took office in May 2008, Ma said, adding that they would be very helpful for democracy and freedom.
Since he took office, he has made efforts to promote cross-strait peace based on the “1992 consensus” and the principles of “no unification, no independence and no use of force,” Ma said.
The “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means. The Democratic Progressive Party says the “1992 consensus” does not exist.
Since 2008, the two sides of the Strait have signed 23 agreements covering a wide range of issues, Ma said.
Cross-strait relations are also at their best in 67 years, turning the Taiwan Strait from a flashpoint to “an avenue of peace,” he added.
The mutual trust accumulated over the past few years also led to the historic meeting in Singapore between Ma and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in November last year, which Ma said was symbolic and helped build the framework for sustainable cross-strait ties.
Ma expressed his hope that such meetings between the top leaders of Taiwan and China would continue in the future, serving as an intangible bridge of peace across the Strait.
The improvement in cross-strait ties has also expanded Taiwan’s international space, Ma said, adding that as Taiwan acts as a peacemaker in the world, it can enjoy more respect and dignity.
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