President Ma Ying-jeou held an international press conference Friday to outline the results of his November 7 meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Ma said he decided to hold the press conference because the legislature has yet to schedule time for him to come deliver a report on the meeting.
He said that his meeting with Xi Jinping had produced several important outcomes. He said that the meeting has set up a transparent system for monitoring cross-strait discussions. He said that the Mainland Affairs Council held a press conference before the meeting took place, and later released a full transcript of the closed-door portions of the meeting.
In terms of cross-strait relations, Ma said that the meeting set up a mechanism for the peaceful resolution of disputes. At the same time, he said that the meeting saw both he and Xi Jinping endorse the 1992 Consensus, which holds that both Taiwan and Mainland China are part of “one China”.
Ma said that the meeting also furthered cross-strait relations by giving him the opportunity to voice Taiwanese concerns about Chinese military deployments and Taiwanese hopes of participating in international organizations. Ma said the meeting also established a new model for meetings between leaders from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
“The Ma-Xi meeting has built a cross-strait bridge, allowing both sides to create a model for meetings between their leaders in an equal and dignified way. This first step is something that future leaders can follow.”
Ma said that his meeting with Xi Jinping also produced results in a global context by demonstrating the peaceful development of the cross-strait relationship.
Ma said that reactions to the Ma-Xi meeting, both local and international, have both been positive. He said that in Taiwan, polls show that more than 60% of people supported his meeting with Xi Jinping.
Ma said that the Ma-Xi meeting did not take place for his personal benefit or for the benefit of the ruling KMT, but was intended to create a long-lasting system for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.
Ma said that he is prepared to report to the legislature on his meeting with Xi Jinping at any time.