President Ma Ying-jeou has told members of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) that improved relations with Mainland China have brought about improved relations with other countries.
Ma was speaking Wednesday at a meeting of the KMT’s Central Standing Committee after listening to a report on the results of the government’s policy of “viable diplomacy”. Ma told the committee that he has spent the past six years of his presidency trying to change perceptions of Taiwan from troublemaker to peacemaker.
He also said that his China policy, based on the idea of “one China, two interpretations” and a rejection of de jure Taiwan independence has allowed the status quo to continue.
Ma said that his China policy has led to improved relations with the United States, the European Union, Japan, and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations among others. He said that improved relations with the Mainland have also allowed Taiwan to enter into bilateral agreements and join international organizations.
“In the past, [poor] cross-strait relations were a major force dragging our foreign relations down," said Ma. "Now, however, cross-strait relations can complement our foreign relations. We’ve turned a crisis into an opportunity. I think this is the most important result of ‘viable diplomacy’.”