President Ma Contacts US Heavyweights While in LA

 President Ma Contacts US Heavyweights While in LA

 Sources: All Taipei newspapers

 February 5, 2014

President Ma Ying-jeou completed his eight-day three-nation diplomatic tour and returned to Taiwan on January 30 from Los Angeles. He stated that the trip had achieved three goals, i.e., consolidating diplomatic ties, strengthening mutual cooperation with allies, and promoting flexible diplomacy.

President Ma made fruitful achievements while stopping over in Los Angeles. He became the first President of the Republic of China (ROC) to visit the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in LA. President Ma also made a number of phone calls to former US officials, including former President Bill Clinton, former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice, former deputy secretaries of state Robert Zoellick and James Steinberg, former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He also talked to over two dozen senators and congressmen over the phone. One ROC diplomat noted that the contact level was unprecedented for any ROC President while stopping over in the US, proving that it was the best moment for the Taiwan-US relations in 30 years.

The former US officials and incumbent senators and congressmen not only praised Taiwan's role as peacemaker in improving cross-Strait relations, but also expressed their full support for Taiwan's determination to accede to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

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