TAIPEI – Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou expressed optimism yesterday that conflicting territorial claims of the Philippines, China and Taiwan in the South China Sea will be resolved peacefully.
Ma said they are committed to addressing the dispute in a “rational and peaceful way.”
“In the South China Sea, we have implemented a cohesive policy that we safeguard the sovereignty dispute, pursue peace and prosperity and promote joint exploration,” Ma said yesterday about two hours after he was sworn into office for his second term.
“We are a peace-loving country and we will solve the conflict in a rational and peaceful way,” he said.
With other government officials by his side, Ma held a 40-minute press conference at the President’s Office attended by journalists from different countries.
“We will solve the dispute in a peaceful manner, but we will still continue to uphold sovereign claims over the South China Sea,” the Taiwanese president said.
The claim on Panatag or Scarborough Shoal heated up after Chinese vessels started preventing Filipino fishermen frin entering the shoal lagoon.
The standoff at Panatag began on April 10 when two Chinese fishery ships were deployed in the area to prevent the Philippine Navy from arresting and detaining Chinese poachers who had been apprehended in the area for illegally harvesting endangered marine species.
China has also suspended the importation of produce from the Philippines, including bananas, which has hurt local producers in the country.
Aside from the conflict in Panatag, journalists from different countries also asked Ma about his dipping popularity over some policies implemented by his administration, which include the pricing structures of electricity and the possible lifting of a ban on US beef, among others.
“(In my second term) our goal is to promote and uphold ideas, work together and create well-being for Taiwan,” Ma said.
“The real second term starts after the election, so after the election we reshuffled the Cabinet and proposed some new policies... which gained some negative opinions from the public and (thus we will) make necessary adjustments,” Ma said.
Local newspapers here reported thousands of people marched in the streets of Taipei protesting some of the government’s recent controversial moves.
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim also attended the reception on Saturday night hosted by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier, the Philippine government expressed hope that there will be more work opportunities for Filipinos during Ma’s second term.
Amadeo Perez, chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei, said since 2010 more Filipinos have managed to find employment in Taiwan.
“Under President Ma, we were able to increase labor arrivals here from the Philippines,” Perez told reporters from the Philippines during Ma’s inauguration.
“For his second term, I hope we could further improve our relations between the Philippines and Taiwan,” Perez added. - The Philippine Star (May 21, 2012)
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