President Ma stressed that the improvement in cross-strait ties made it possible for the United States to have amicable interactions with the ROC and mainland China at the same time. US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel mentioned this past February that developments in Taiwan-US relations over the past few years have been extremely constructive, and that this has been strongly related to cross-strait developments. The ROC government, with the hope of promoting sustainable peace and prosperity between the two sides, will continue to negotiate with mainland China on topics of mutual concern, such as allowing mainland Chinese to transit in Taiwan on their way to third destinations, signing the Cross-Strait Trade in Goods Agreement, establishing cross-strait representative offices, and jointly participating in regional economic integration.
The president noted that the ROC government in August 2012 unveiled its East China Sea Peace Initiative, which advocates reducing conflict and increasing dialogue under the principles of "safeguarding sovereignty, shelving disputes, pursuing peace and reciprocity, and promoting joint exploration and development." We then signed a fisheries agreement with Japan that peacefully resolved a 40-year fishing rights dispute. The agreement, the president stated, has been recognized by former US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Australian Minister for Defence David Johnston for contributing to regional peace. In addition, we extended the spirit of the East China Sea Peace Initiative to the South China Sea to carry out fishing-related discussions with the Philippines, in which the two sides reached a three-point consensus on the enforcement of law at sea in overlapping exclusive economic zones, thereby resolving disputes and maintaining peace in the region.
【Source: Office of the President】