Ma Ying-jeou urges further cross-Straits cooperation

TAIPEI - Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said on Sunday that both sides of the Strait should open new areas of cooperation and continue to promote peace, prosperity and mutual trust in the next four years. Ma made the remark at the inauguration ceremony as he took office for a second term on Sunday.

In the past four years, Taiwan has improved cross-Straits relations and reduced cross-Straits tension. This had brought peace and prosperity and won broad public support, he said.

"We have promoted cross-Straits ties in accordance with the principles of putting 'pressing matters before less pressing ones, easily resolved issues before difficult ones, and economic matters before political ones'," he said.

Ma noted that this approach has yielded unprecedented success in the areas of economic and trade ties, transportation, public health, culture, education, judicial assistance, and financial services.

He said in the next four year, he will strive to enhance the drivers of Taiwan's economic growth, bolster Taiwan's competitiveness in creating employment and realizing social justice, develop an environment with low carbon emissions and high reliance on green energy, build up cultural strength, and improve Taiwan's capacity of cultivating, recruiting and retaining talents.

Ma was re-elected to a second term in January.