President Ma Talks with Scholars at Stanford via Videoconference

 President Ma Talks with Scholars at Stanford via Videoconference

Sources: All Taipei newspapers

April 17, 2013

During a videoconference at Stanford University's Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL), President Ma Ying-jeou stated yesterday that although the two sides of the Strait were currently discussing setting up reciprocal offices, the international community should not get the impression that there was a state-to-state relationship. Ma went on to say that cross-Strait relations were based on mutual non-recognition of sovereignty, and mutual non-denial of jurisdiction, so according to the ROC Constitution, the two sides had a type of "special relationship." Ma added that this point was very important for peace across the Strait.  

President Ma was invited by the CDDRL to deliver an address, titled "Steering through a Sea of Change" via a videoconference yesterday. The conference was chaired by Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State, and attended by Dr. Larry Diamond, CDDRL Director; Dr. Francis Fukuyama, Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; and retired Admiral Gary Roughead, former US Chief of Naval Operations, as well as other guests.  

President Ma stated during the videoconference, "As cross-Strait relations continue to develop peacefully, Taiwan is gaining an enhanced international presence and Taiwan today strives to conduct itself as a responsible stakeholder. The international community has seen recently how Taiwan deports itself as a responsible stakeholder." Ma went on to say that Taiwan was a facilitator of peace in the Taiwan-Japan fishery agreement signed on April 10.

Moreover, after the Taiwan-Japan fishery agreement was successfully concluded, President Ma said he hoped that the ROC could also hold similar consultations with other stakeholders. For example, Ma stated he hoped we could reach a consensus with Mainland China on the joint exploration of resources of the East China Sea, as well as on maritime consultations and undersea oil exploration.      

Condoleezza Rice noted that although Washington affirmed President Ma's administration, some were also concerned that improving cross-Strait relations might change the nature of Taiwan-US relations. In response, President Ma stated, "In the past some in the United States have expressed concern that as Mainland China rises, Taiwan might someday entrap the United States in an unnecessary conflict with Mainland China. Others fear that Taiwan is tilting toward Mainland China, thus "abandoning" the United States. Both arguments imply that the United States should reduce support for Taiwan. But neither view is warranted. In fact, my pursuit of rapprochement with Mainland China has clearly helped preserve and enhance peace in the Taiwan Strait, which is in the interest of the US." 

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