Ma lauds Taiwan’s democratic development

2016/01/26

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said Jan. 23 that the government is fostering the development of freedom and democracy in Taiwan, while promoting regional peace and stability.

“As the first republic in Asia, the ROC places a premium on these goals and has gained great recognition for its accomplishments in this regard,” Ma said. “The country’s outperformances in various global rankings also stand testament to this progress.”

Ma made the remarks while addressing the annual conference of Taipei City-headquartered nongovernmental organization World League for Freedom and Democracy. The event coincided with World Freedom Day, which is celebrated in the ROC and South Korea to mark the decision by 14,000 People’s Liberation Army prisoners of war to go to Taiwan instead of mainland China following their release by U.N. forces during the Korean War.

According to Ma, Taiwan has chalked up significant headway in human rights, as evidenced in the annual report released last year by Washington-based Freedom House. “On a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being the freest and 7 the least free, the report rated Taiwan 1 in political rights and 2 in civil liberties, while listing it as a free nation alongside Japan, the U.S. and some countries in Western Europe,” he said.

Citing the recent ROC presidential and legislative elections, Ma said the results are testament to the democratic achievement of Taiwan and the nation’s solid constitutional framework.

“They serve to show the country is a firmly established democracy ready to undergo its third peaceful transition of political power in May,” he said, adding this development has won praise from various global leaders, including U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

On warming cross-strait relations, Ma said his administration has left no stone unturned in expanding Taipei-Beijing dialogue and promoting reconciliation between the two sides.

“Since I took office in May 2008, Taiwan and mainland China have ironed out differences in a peaceful manner under the principle of shelving disputes and creating win-win outcomes.

“Concrete results include the historic Singapore meeting between the leaders of both sides last November, in addition to 23 bilateral agreements concluded over the past eight years across a wide variety of areas delivering tremendous dividends and elevating ties to their most stable state in 67 years,” he added.

This healthy state of affairs has contributed to expanding Taiwan’s international space and enhancing its role as a responsible stakeholder in the global community, Ma said. Examples include the nation’s increased participation in key international activities, such as observer status at the World Health Assembly since 2008 and the first appearance in 42 years at the International Civil Aviation Organization assembly in 2013.

Going forward, the president said he expects Taiwan to bolster its role as a peacemaker in the Asia-Pacific while promoting collaborative and prosperous partnerships. “We will continue striving to attain higher standards so as to enable the people of Taiwan to enjoy greater freedom and democracy.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=241657&ctNode=2194&mp=9)