Updated Monday, August 4, 2008 0:00 am TWN, The China Post news staff

Ma touts foreign policy before trip

Stressing that bilateral relations between Taiwan and China play a vital part in the island's overall international ties, Ma said that the significantly improved and stable relations between Taipei and Beijing since he took office on May 20 have also contributed to a better relationship with the U.S.

"I'm pleased to see that U.S. President Bush expressed his satisfaction two days ago regarding current relations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," he said.

In an interview Friday in Washington with China's People's Daily and the Central China Television network on the eve of his trip to Beijing to attend the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games, Bush said that relations between Taiwan and China are currently "in a better place."

Since Ma's inauguration, frosty cross-strait relations have significantly thawed, with Taiwan easing restrictions on commercial exchanges, opening weekend cross-strait charter flights for passengers, and allowing more Chinese tourists.

President Ma also explained to the ministers that the new steps taken by both sides were designed to achieve the mutual goals of peace and prosperity.

Easing the curbs on economic interchanges with China were not intended to encourage Taiwan-based enterprises to increase investments in China but to improve the overall business and investment environment in Taiwan so that more companies with operations overseas will have greater interest of boosting investments in Taiwan as well.

He also said the peaceful settlement of an incident in which a recreational angling Taiwan boat sunk by a Japanese frigate off the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands area in June was living proof for improved mutual trust between Taipei and Tokyo for regional stability.

Ma lauded Foreign Minister Francisco H.L. Ou, for the settlement of controversies over this case.

Other officials attending the dinner meeting included Kuomintang (KMT) Honorary Chairman Lien Chan who formerly served as vice president and foreign minister, KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung, and National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi.

Former foreign ministers invited to offer their suggestions on diplomatic affairs included Fredrick Chien, Ting Mao-shih, Jason Hu, Chen Chien-jen, and Tien Hung-mao.

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	President Ma, standing, toasts former foreign ministers at a dinner last night. During the event, Ma reiterated that his first state visit next week will be based on the so-called ‘workable diplomacy.’(CNA) Enlarge Photo

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