Asia-Pacific News
Taiwan's new president Ma calls for peace with China (Roundup)
By DPA
May 20, 2008, 5:37 GMT

   Taipei - Ma Ying-jeou was sworn in Tuesday to a four-year term as Taiwan's president and immediately called for peace with China.

   'I sincerely hope the two sides of the Taiwan Strait can seize this historic opportunity to achieve peace and co-prosperity,' Ma, 57, said at the ceremony at the 15,000-seat Taipei Arena.

   Dismissing China's fears that he might seek independence, Ma pledged he would neither seek independence nor discuss unification with Beijing during his term.

   'Under the principle of no unification, no independence and no use of force and under the framework of the Republic of China's constitution, the two sides will maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait,' Ma said, referring to Taiwan by its formal name.

The politician from the pro-China Chinese Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), made an important compromise with China by agreeing to accept a consensus reached between Taipei and Beijing in Hong Kong in 1992 that both sides accept the 'one China' principle, which has been insisted upon by Beijing for cross-strait negotiations, but each can have its own interpretation of what 'one China' means.

For Taiwan, that China means the Republic of China, the political regime that once ruled the mainland but fled to Taiwan after the defeat of the Nationalist government in the 1949 Chinese Civil War. And for Beijing, it means the People's Republic of China.

   'I want to reiterate that, based on the 1992 consensus, negotiations should resume at the earliest time,' he said, referring to a dialogue that Beijing and Taipei launched in 1993 but China halted in 1995 to retaliate against former president Lee Tengh-hui's advocacy of Taiwan's independence.

   However, Ma also reminded China that Taiwan is a sovereign state and needs to preserve its dignity and national security. 'Only when Taiwan is no longer isolated in the international arena can cross-strait ties move forward,' he said.

   To protect Taiwan's security, Taiwan would boost ties with its strongest ally, the United States, and other foreign countries, he said.

'We will rationalize our defence budget and acquire necessary defensive weaponry,' Ma said. '... At the same time, we are committed to cross-strait peace and regional stability.'

   Ma won a landslide victory in March 22 presidential polls, bringing the KMT back to power. It ruled Taiwan from 1949 to 2000 when it lost power to the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

   Ma replaced president Chen Shui-bian of the DPP, who stepped down Tuesday after having served two four-year terms, the longest tenure allowed a Taiwan president.

   In the past eight years, Taiwan-China ties have deteriorated as Chen advocated Taiwan's independence and sought its membership in the United Nations.

   China did not comment on Ma's inauguration because Beijing sees Taiwan as an illegitimate government and refuses to accept Ma's title as Taiwan president, but it has welcomed Ma's pledge to promote peace with China.

   In April, Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Taiwan's incoming vice president, Vincent Siew, on the sidelines of the Boao Forum, a regional economic gathering on China's Hainan Island.

   Hu expressed the hope that China and Taiwan would 'face reality, build mutual trust, shelve differences and find a win-win solution.'

   Hu has invited Wu Poh-hisung, chairman of the KMT, to visit the mainland next week for a summit expected to discuss cooperation between Beijing and the new Taiwan government led by Ma.

   China regards Taiwan as its breakaway province and is wooing Taiwan's 23 diplomatic allies to drop Taipei and recognize Beijing.

China has been urging Taiwan to hold unification talks with China, but Taipei said it would not discuss unification unless China has introduced democracy and treats Taiwan as an equal government.

   More than 500 foreign dignitaries attended Ma's inauguration. They included one king, eight presidents, three prime ministers and two governor generals as well as delegations from the United States and Japan, which do not have diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

   The foreign guests came from the countries that recognize Taiwan and those that do not recognize Taiwan but maintain trade ties with Taipei.

   In the afternoon, the foreign guests rode a high-speed train from Taipei to Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan for Ma's inauguration banquet and an evening boat ride on the Love River.