President Ma Ying-jeou says that a consensus on cross-strait trade ties is crucial to Taiwan’s competitiveness. He was speaking on Monday at the opening ceremony of a conference on overseas Taiwanese affairs.
Ma said that while the government has signed several trade pacts with other countries, no consensus has been reached on Taiwan’s trade links with China. He said that as a result, several bills governing cross-strait trade have been stalled in the legislature.
Ma said he is willing to exchange views with all parties involved in order to remove trade barriers and promote Taiwan’s integration into the regional economy.
"We are willing to listen to differing views though we would like to call on the public to maintain a rational and peaceful attitude. This is because Taiwan is facing several challenges in the international community," Ma said. "If we fail to reach a consensus and are unable to let go of our prejudices, [Taiwan] will be at a disadvantage in the international arena."