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President Ma Ying-jeou's Address to
the 'Double Tenth' Rally Office of the President, R.O.C., Oct. 10 2008 Your Excellency
President Colom, Distinguished Guests, Overseas Compatriots, My Fellow
Countrymen: Good morning, and greetings to you all! Today is the
National Day of the Republic of China. Ninety-seven years ago today, the
gunfire of the Wuchang Uprising aroused an ancient
nation from its sleep, as a revolution led by our founding father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, ended 5,000 years of imperial rule and gave
birth to Asia's first democratic republic. Over the past century, the
Republic of China has been afflicted by domestic upheaval and foreign
aggression. True to the nation's founding spirit of indomitability,
however, we have remained undaunted, standing up and continuing to march
forward whenever we have stumbled. Taking responsibility for the people's suffering Since May of
this year, when the new administration took office, the world has been rocked
by a financial crisis on a scale rarely seen. With the global economy in
turmoil, this administration has been steadfastly proactive in responding to
resultant challenges. Externally, we have worked to promote peace across the My fellow
countrymen, although this administration has been hard at work, our citizenry
expects more from us. We feel deeply the pain of our people caused by the
economic downturn. This administration will shoulder the responsibility to
end suffering for as long as it exists. We must therefore accelerate the pace
of reform and, with firm commitment, unite our forces as a nation to break
through economic roadblocks. Overcoming adversity, advancing on the path of prosperity Invigorating our
economy is this administration's top priority. Challenges to our economy
present golden opportunities for reform. Currently, we are pressing forward
with deregulation in order to expedite economic growth, and we are renovating
infrastructure to fortify the constitution of our economy. With deregulation,
our businesses can bring their competitive advantages into full play,
enabling them to become more firmly rooted in Given the
growing interdependence among nations in this era of globalization, however,
crises related to epidemics, pollution, or finance can spread around the
world overnight. The recent global financial troubles and the danger posed by
tainted milk from mainland It is my firm
belief that the joint efforts of our government and people will not be in
vain. With unwavering confidence, even in the face of the fiercest storms, we
surely will overcome adversity and advance along the path of prosperity. Safeguarding the ROC's sovereignty After taking
office on May 20, with a strong mandate from the people, the new government
swiftly re-established cross-strait dialogue, which had been disrupted for a
decade. This has significantly eased cross-strait tensions and made a clear contribution
to regional stability and peace, winning the affirmation of the international
community, including that of the While
differences still exist between At the same
time, we must maintain a solid national defense so that we can promote peace
across the strait without having our security compromised. Now, let's join
together to safeguard our country's sovereignty and our precious island home.
A confident Taiwan Improving
cross-strait relations within the framework of the ROC Constitution and
through a policy of no unification talks with mainland I believe that
as long as the Republic of China attends to its own development, we will not
only strengthen our international standing, but bring new hope for future
prospect of Chinese people everywhere. It should be understood that the
people of After the storm, clear skies await My fellow
countrymen: This administration has full confidence in its ability to fulfill
its commitments to our people and to take In the face of
turmoil and uncertainty in the global economy, it is incumbent upon me as
President of the Republic of China to be resolute and persevering in leading
our country through these difficult times. A century ago, Dr. Sun Yat-sen encountered countless challenges as leader of the
revolution that established the republic. He managed, nevertheless, to
weather all the setbacks and frustrations and, after ten failed attempts,
finally met with success. And three decades ago, under the shadow of two oil
crises, the late President Chiang Ching-kuo
demonstrated great poise and unruffled leadership style in carrying forward
the Ten Major Construction Projects that powered a surge of sustained
economic development. Today, as we
press forward with a new agenda, we share with these leaders the same lofty
sentiments and aspirations. If only we persevere and support each other,
storms certainly will give way to clear skies. |