President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday marked the 60th anniversary of a battle in the Taiwan Strait, saying that although reconciliation with China is a top priority, Taiwan must maintain its military preparedness.
At a ceremony marking the Battle of the Yijiangshan Islands (一江山戰役) in 1955, Ma spoke of a wish for peaceful solutions to potential future disputes between the two sides, saying: “Now, we begin to seek peace.”
“This is the third time I have attended the Yijiangshan commemorations. Each time, I have aimed to underscore the military’s contributions to Taiwan,” he said.
However, unlike the violent past, Taiwan and China are now working toward peaceful relations, he said, reiterating his administration’s policy of “no unification, no independence and no use of force” and the “1992 consensus” of “one China with different interpretations.”
“We still have disputes, but we now resolve them through peaceful means,” he said, adding that Taiwan must still be prepared for the worst by continuing to build up its armed forces.
During the ceremony, Ma paid tribute to the hundreds of Republic of China (ROC) soldiers who died in the two-day battle against China’s People’s Liberation Army on the islands off Zhejiang Province.
Also called the First Taiwan Strait Crisis, the battle ended in an ROC defeat, forcing it to withdraw from the Dachen Archipelago to Kinmen and Matsu.
It was also a catalyst that prompted the US Congress to pass a resolution on Jan. 29 that year authorizing then-US president Dwight Eisenhower to send troops to defend Taiwan and other islands controlled by the ROC government.
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