Press Release

KMT Culture and Communications Committee

February 24, 2009

KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung departed on Feb. 23 for a visit to the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore. During his visit, Chairman Wu will explain the government’s major policies after the KMT returned to power and express gratitude to overseas compatriots on behalf of President Ma Ying-jeou.

After arriving in the Philippines in the evening of Feb. 23, Chairman Wu explained President Ma’s cross-Strait policy at the reception hosted by overseas compatriots. Chairman Wu said that both sides across the Taiwan Strait had reached consensus on peaceful development and that both sides had the enlightened wisdom to avoid any military confrontation in the Strait.

On behalf of President Ma, Chairman Wu explained to the compatriots that the current Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission would be merged with the Foreign Ministry into a new Ministry of Foreign and Compatriot Affairs in order to increase efficiency and enable additional manpower and resources to be utilized in compatriot affairs. However, Chairman Wu added that interested parties from many walks of life had suggested that President Ma should reconsider the proposed reorganization because many overseas compatriot societies felt that they had been caught unawares and hoped that President Ma would keep them better informed. Chairman Wu also stressed that President Ma had promised to take the opinions of overseas compatriot societies into consideration before proceeding any further.

The overseas compatriot and business societies all recommended that Chairman Wu further promote cross-Strait peaceful development and expressed their hope that the KMT would continue to do its utmost to improve cross-Strait relations through congenial exchanges.

Attachment : none