President Ma Ying-jeou has reiterated the importance of the East China Sea Peace Initiative, which he proposed in 2012. Ma was speaking on Thursday while meeting with visiting members of the US Armed Services Committee.
Ma said the main principles of the peace initiative are the prohibition of the use of force, guarantee of freedom of navigation, and peaceful resolution of international issues. Ma said that because of the initiative, Taiwan has been able to sign fisheries agreements with Japan and the Philippines, and improve relations with Mainland China.
President Ma said that the initiative is the best strategy for the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan to survive in the international arena.
"We hope that the ROC will play the role of the promoter of peace, and a provider of humanitarian aid across the Taiwan Strait and in the international arena," said Ma. "We want the ROC to become an asset, not a liability, to the international community. I believe that it will be the best strategy for the survival of the ROC [in the global arena]," he said.
Meanwhile, President Ma also met with the chairman of the US Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden. Ma said that he hopes Taiwan will sign a bilateral investment agreement with the US and that Taiwan will be able to join in the second round of multilateral talks in the US-led regional trade pact, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).