Taipei, May 19 (CNA) Taiwan will take steady steps in dealing with China and create a period of peace and prosperity that will eventually allow people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to work out a "lasting solution," President Ma Ying-jeou said Wednesday.
The goal of the government's cross-Taiwan Strait policy is to win time for Taiwan and China to devise a lasting solution "guided by the wisdom of the Chinese people, " Ma said at a press conference marking the second anniversary of his inauguration.
Since taking office on May 20, 2008, Ma has adopted a China policy advocating rapprochement and "flexible diplomacy, " which has eased tensions with Beijing.
The president said his administration is following a three-step diplomatic approach -- reconciliation, cooperation and peace -- and will not enter political talks with China until all necessary steps have been taken, such as economic and trade cooperation.
Taiwan will not take giant steps in cross-strait exchanges because "sometimes Taiwanese people have an inexplicable fear of China," Ma said, citing his administration's cautious opening to Chinese investment and gradual increase in direct flights between Taiwan and China as examples.
He reiterated that he has no timetable to negotiate a peace agreement with China or a plan to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, although he would not rule out the possibility.
Questioned on his comment that signing a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) would force China to consider the removal of its missiles targeted at Taiwan, Ma said the remark was misinterpreted by the media.
According to the president, he was saying that the co-existence of those missiles and warming Taiwan-China economic ties would be "an uncomfortable scene," and would be seen that way by Japan, the U.S., and even some Chinese.
He stressed, however, that Taiwan is very much aware of China's rapidly rising military capability and the increasing imbalance in cross-strait military power, which is why Taiwan is determined to shore up its national defense by purchasing arms and give China second thoughts about launching an attack.
Ma did not answer a question on whether he favored "ultimate unification" with China, saying only that he would not raise the issue of unification in his four-year term.
He also said Taiwan still hopes to ink the ECFA with China in June and that negotiations "have been going quite smoothly." (By Chris Wang) enditem/ls