President Tsai Ing-wen sent a letter to Pope Francis recently in response to the papal message for World Day of Peace 2017, echoing his appeals for humanity to embrace love, practice nonviolence and work together to address international crises in such areas as the environment, regional conflict and migration.
Tsai reiterated in the letter the government’s commitment to upholding democracy and the status quo of peace in the Taiwan Strait. “We will take proactive and forward-looking measures to promote constructive exchanges and dialogue across the strait in order to build a peaceful and stable cross-strait relationship that endures,” she stated.
Based on the belief that peace can be maintained by goodwill and communication, the president also emphasized her four principles for peaceful engagement with mainland China. “Our pledges will not change, our goodwill will not change, we will not bow to pressure, and we will not revert to the old path of confrontation,” she wrote while urging the governing parties on both sides to forsake historical baggage and engage in positive dialogue.
Noting Pope Francis’ frequent expressions of concern for economically and socially disadvantaged groups, the president said that since taking office last May she has sought to strengthen support structures for underprivileged members of society. The government has since initiated judicial reform and put forward five major social safety plans covering community care, food safety, housing, social order and a sustainable pension system, she stated.
In addition, Tsai outlined Taiwan’s international humanitarian assistance work in recent years, including efforts to help refugees in Jordan and northern Iraq, Ebola sufferers in West Africa, and victims of earthquakes in Ecuador, Italy, Japan and Nepal. “In the future, the Republic of China will continue to stand firmly with the Holy See and assist the Catholic Church in its pastoral work around the world,” she wrote.
Tsai praised the Holy See’s move to establish the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, a Vatican department that commenced work at the beginning of this year with the mission of assisting migrants, refugees and marginalized peoples. She highlighted measures to recognize the contributions of new immigrants in Taiwan society such as Migrants Day, a celebration held annually Dec. 18 in line with U.N. International Migrants Day.
The president also drew attention to government policies aimed at promoting mutually beneficial talent and cultural exchanges with neighboring countries through the peoplecentric New Southbound Policy, a comprehensive initiative to strengthen agricultural, business, cultural, educational, tourism and trade ties with 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries as well as Australia and New Zealand. She added that the government is also formulating a special law to make it easier for foreign nationals to stay in Taiwan.
Tsai, the first female president in the ethnic Chinese world, said she was inspired by the pope’s observation that women are often leaders of nonviolent action. “I aspire to live up to your words as I devote myself to enhancing the well-being of the Taiwanese people and creating a new era for cross-strait peace.”
The ROC has maintained close ties and cooperation with the Holy See since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two sides in 1942. In September last year, Vice President Chen Chien-jen visited the Vatican to attend the canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
During the trip, Chen conveyed his highest regards to Pope Francis on behalf of the president, the people of Taiwan and the nation’s Catholics. A devout Catholic, Chen was made a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 2010 and a Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great in 2013. (KTJ-E)
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