President Ma Ying-jeou met with the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief – Gina McCarthy – on Monday. During the meeting, Ma said that the trip was a sign of greater trust between Taipei and Washington.
“Your visit carries significance for us," said Ma. "This is the first time that a US Cabinet-level official has visited Taiwan since the Clinton administration in 2000, and it’s been 14 years. The trip is extremely meaningful. When I took office six years ago, the most important task was rebuilding mutual trust between high-level officials of our two countries. Your visit is a nod to our efforts over the past several years.”
During the meeting, President Ma also spoke about environmental concerns. He said that Taiwan has made progress in cutting down river pollution, CO2 emissions and waste volume, while increasing air quality. He spoke about other ways in which the two sides can work together.
“Looking to the future, we hope the two sides will be able to cooperate in the areas of environmental protection, renewable energy and climate change" said Ma. "I hope the trip will not only open a new chapter in environmental protection but also lay a firm groundwork for comprehensive cooperation.”
Ma said Taiwan will abide by international standards on CO2 reduction even though Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.