President Ma stated that Taiwan's basic principle in promoting cross-strait policy is to maintain the status quo of "no unification, no independence, and no use of force" in the Taiwan Strait under the framework of the ROC Constitution. His administration also promotes 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. The president said that many positive results have been seen, such as the signing of 23 agreements between Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation and mainland China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits. Since the APEC meetings in October of 2013, the ministers in charge of cross-strait affairs from both sides of the strait have held seven formal meetings where both sides used their official titles. This indicates that Taiwan and mainland China have already institutionalized cross-strait communication channels, and that cross-strait relations are more stable and peaceful than they have ever been in the 67 years that the two sides have been under separate rule.
The president mentioned that thanks to a foundation of sufficient mutual trust, on November 7 of last year he met with mainland Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Singapore as equals and with dignity. The two leaders exchanged views on consolidating peace between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, ensuring peaceful development of cross-strait relations under the 1992 Consensus. The international community closely followed and applauded the cross-strait leaders meeting, said President Ma. The US government issued a statement, saying that "The United States welcomes the meeting between leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait…, and we encourage further progress by both sides toward building ties, reducing tensions, and promoting stability on the basis of dignity and respect."
Commenting on the ROC's efforts and achievements in maintaining regional peace, the president remarked that we continue to play the role of peacemaker. Tension in the East China Sea had been escalating in 2012, and President Ma then unveiled the East China Sea Peace Initiative on August 5 of that same year, based on the idea that although sovereignty over national territory can't be compromised, natural resources can be shared. That initiative calls on all parties to replace confrontation with dialogue, and resolve disputes in the East China Sea through peaceful means. Eight months later, Taiwan and Japan signed a fisheries agreement, resolving a 40-year fisheries dispute between the two sides and demonstrating that the East China Sea Peace Initiative is feasible and pragmatic. The ROC embraced the same concept in introducing the South China Sea Peace Initiative last May, calling on all parties concerned to reduce tensions, increase dialogue, abide by international law, uphold the freedom of navigation and overflight, and settle disputes peacefully. The Agreement Concerning the Facilitation of Cooperation on Law Enforcement in Fisheries Matters signed in last November by the ROC and the Philippines provides a concrete example of how the South China Sea Peace Initiative can be put into practice. President Ma mentioned that he personally went to Taiping Island (also known as Itu Aba) in the Nansha (Spratly) Islands to visit personnel stationed there and unveiled the South China Sea Peace Initiative Roadmap, thus clarifying the island's legal status and proclaiming the ROC's sovereignty. He also introduced peaceful uses for Taiping Island—an island for "peace and rescue operations, as well as an ecologically friendly and low-carbon island." The president then expressed hope that the vision of transforming the South China Sea into a sea of reconciliation and cooperation will be realized.
【Source: Office of the President】