Even when a hard-line approach concerning Beijing is required, it will not help to adopt a pro-independence stance as this does not assist the development of cross-strait relations, Ma said in response to questions during a dinner function with members of the media in Panama.
The president was in the Central American country on the first leg of a seven-day visit to the region. He departed later in the evening for El Salvador and will return to Taiwan July 5 after a stopover in San Francisco.
According to Ma, the major reason for improving Taipei-Beijing relations since he took office in May 2008 is the ruling Kuomintang’s decision not to promote Taiwan independence.
With regards to the proposal by 40 party representatives from the opposition Democratic Progressive Party to freeze the Taiwan independence clause in its party platform, he said the DPP needs to sort out the issue, as cross-strait peace hinges on the principle.
In a recent international media briefing, DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said it takes time and internal party consensus to amend such key planks as the Taiwan independence clause. She said the Resolution on Taiwan’s Future, ratified by the party in 1999, represents DPP policy and consensus in this regard.
Ma also responded to DPP criticisms that the government’s Free Economic Pilot Zones initiative is a special undertaking aimed at exclusively meeting the needs of mainland Chinese firms.
The project transcends the partisan divide and is the only way for Taiwan to enhance its global competitiveness, he said. (SFC-JSM)
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