ROC President Ma Ying-jeou will deliver an address elaborating on the government’s performance and policy objectives before the anniversary of his second year in office May 20.
“The president will report on his administration’s accomplishments over the past two years and unveil a roadmap for Taiwan’s future,” Presidential Office spokesman Lo Chih-chiang said May 11.
According to Lo, a news conference marking the second anniversary of Ma’s inauguration will be held May 19, with local and foreign media representatives invited to attend the event. “In addition, a visit to underprivileged groups will be organized the following day,” Lo said.
Lo said that Taiwan’s economy is on the mend, Typhoon Morakot reconstruction efforts are progressing smoothly and the ruling Kuomintang looks set to bounce back in the year-end special municipality mayoral elections.
“The worst is behind us and now it is time to reap the rewards of President Ma’s enlightened administration,” he said. “It is just like eating sugarcane, the more you bite into it, the sweeter it gets.”
According to sources close to the government, Ma places enormous importance on his upcoming speech and has instructed the Presidential Office and Cabinet to “move mountains” in producing a top-notch plan for Taiwan’s future.
Kao Lang, deputy secretary-general to the president, and Hsueh Chern-tai, minister without portfolio, have been tapped to organize the event and make sure everything goes smoothly, the sources said.
“Ma’s report will center on the array of potential benefits that might befall Taiwan once the proposed cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement has been signed,” the sources said. “The president will keep hammering home the message that the ECFA can help Taiwan boost competitiveness and avoid being marginalized.”
In terms of Taiwan’s future development, the sources believe priority will be given to strengthening the economy and trade development, restructuring industries, creating job opportunities, increasing government efficiency, establishing social welfare benefits and implementing carbon emission reduction policy. (CYH-JSM)