President Ma Ying-jeou has called on the ruling and opposition parties to reconcile and work together in his New Year Address on Thursday.
The president admitted that there is a gulf between the two sides of the political spectrum, but said that the two sides should put a stop to confrontation and seek to cooperate for the sake of the greater public good.
Ma urged the ruling and opposition camps to sit down together and work out their differences. The president said that not being able to bring the parties together has been his greatest regret since taking office.
Ma also urged government officials to put themselves in others’ shoes, empathize with their situations, try to understand their needs and aspirations, become familiar with their worlds, listen more attentively to their views, and reflect those views in government policies.
In the address, titled "Reconciliation, Cooperation and Peace," Ma also said that progress in cross-strait peace must be consolidated. He said his administration will continue to maintain the status quo and facilitate more peaceful relations with China in the future.