Ma urges 'maximum tolerance' in China

Ma said promoting democracy and human rights has been a major goal of his political career, and has formed part of his major policies since his becoming president last year.

“I hope both sides of the strait can show maximum tolerance to those who express their views peacefully,” said Ma when asked to comment on Liu's sentence.

The president, speaking on the sideline of a public event, would not comment further.

He said the Cabinet's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) had already issued statements concerning Liu's case.

A Beijing court on Friday sentenced Liu to 11 years in prison for subversion, with the United States accusing China of persecuting its political opponents.

The sentencing came on the same day when China's envoy Chen Yunlin concluded his five-day visit in Taiwan, which marked significant improvements in cross-strait relations.

Ma did not respond to the sentence immediately, prompting the opposition Democratic Progressive Party to criticize his silence.

DPP spokeswoman Hsiao Bi-khim said Ma, who during his term as Taipei mayor had shown support for rights of the participants in the 1989 Tiananmen protest, was now staying silent about China's gross violations of human rights.

The MAC responded to Liu's sentence by saying that it serves as a test of the Chinese government's approach to dealing with human rights.

MAC Vice Chairman Liu Teh-shun said human rights are universal values and that all governments around the world should endeavor to ensure that their citizens enjoy their human rights.

Liu said it is inevitable that the Chinese government will move toward the path of freedom, democracy and human rights in the future.

MAC Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan said that her council has been consistent on its position and attitude toward human rights both at home and abroad.

While Ma and his administration refrained from making strong-worded response to Liu's harsh sentence, the United States and European Union urged Beijing to free the dissident Liu immediately.

Many other countries have also expressed concern about the sentence.

The pro-democracy activist has been in jail since 2008 after being arrested one day before releasing a document known as Charter 08, a petition calling for the end of one-party rule in China and the establishment of a multi-party democracy.

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