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AIT chairman to brief Ma on US-China
meeting
By Ko Shu-ling / Staff Reporter
American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Raymond
Burghardt visits Vice President Vincent Siew at the Presidential Office
yesterday.
Photo: CNA
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Raymond Burghardt will meet
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) today to brief Ma on the meeting between US
President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) that took place in
Washington last week.
Burghardt, who arrived in Taipei late on Sunday night, met Vice President
Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) at the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon.
Calling Burghardt “an old friend of Taiwan,” Siew said it was a shame that
Burghardt’s stay was so short. He said he hoped Burghardt could stay a little
longer next time so they could have a chance to spend some time together in the
south.
Burghardt, who referred to Siew as his “old friend,” said he could not visit the
south this time, but hoped they could do it in the future.
Burghardt leaves tomorrow.
Amid calls for Ma to mention the military imbalance across the Taiwan Strait and
the importance of arms procurement from the US when he meets Burghardt today,
Presidential Office spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) yesterday declined to reveal
whether Ma would touch on those issues or make any concrete demands for specific
items the government wishes to purchase from the US.
Meanwhile, yesterday Ma lauded the achievements of the Republic of China (ROC)
government during the past 61 years since it moved to Taiwan in 1949 after
losing in the civil war with the Chinese Communist Party.
“The ROC on Taiwan has evolved into a free and democratic society,” he said.
“The people have directly elected the president four times and there have been
two transfers of political power. The ROC has become a full-fledged democracy.”
Ma said since he took office about two-and-a-half years ago, he had been
committed to improving cross-strait relations with the purpose of pursuing peace
across the Taiwan Strait.
So far, the two sides of the Strait have signed 15 agreements and there are 370
direct flights operating across the Strait. The current situation is
substantially different from that of 60 years ago, which was marked by tension
and hostility, Ma said.
Since Taipei and Beijing signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA)
last June, Ma said his administration has also begun to explore the possibility
of inking a similar trade pact with Singapore.
The purpose behind the trade agreements is to build Taiwan into a global center
for innovation, an Asia-Pacific economic and trade hub, a global headquarters
for Taiwanese merchants and a regional headquarters for foreign companies, he
added.
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