The president commented that since taking office he has strived to improve relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. He stressed that the ROC government has consistently sought, under the framework of the ROC Constitution, to maintain the status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force" in the Taiwan Strait, and to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait ties under the "1992 Consensus," whereby each side acknowledges the existence of "one China" but maintains its own interpretation of what that means. This policy has significantly improved the relationship between Taiwan and mainland China, and has also effectively reduced tension in the Taiwan Strait, he said. The president pointed out that to date the two sides have signed 18 agreements and two points of consensus. This has brought cross-strait relations to their most peaceful and stable state in the past 60 years, he remarked.
The president then turned the topic of conversation to the recent sovereignty dispute over the Diaoyutai Islets in the East China Sea. President Ma reiterated that the Diaoyutais are inherent territory of the ROC and appurtenant to Taiwan. But he stated that although sovereignty over national territory cannot be compromised, natural resources can be shared, which is why he unveiled his East China Sea Peace Initiative in the hope that negotiation and dialogue can be used to mitigate possible conflicts. He also said that the ROC is willing, so long as other parties agree to do so as well, to shelve the conflict so that joint development of resources can be undertaken. This, he noted, will ensure peace and stability in the seas of this area.
【Source: Office of the President】