President Ma Ying-jeou addressed air force units in the outlying Penghu Islands Thursday, in the run up to the Mid-Autumn Festival.
In his address, Ma said that the high morale and preparedness of the air force units stationed in Penghu will give the Taiwanese people peace of mind as they celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Ma also praised the military’s success in the area of disaster prevention and relief. He said that the United States has expressed interest in working with the government to turn Taiwan into a center for disaster relief operations in Southeast Asia.
Ma pointed to the military’s response to the crash of TransAsia Airways Flight 222 and the gas explosions that recently rocked the southern city of Kaohsiung as examples of successful disaster relief operations.
Ma also said that while cross-strait relations are at their best in 65 years, the military must continue to be vigilant in order to safeguard Taiwan.