Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou takes office

TAIPEI - Re-elected Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou took office on Sunday for his second term.

In the past four years, Taiwan has improved cross-Strait relations and reduced cross-Strait tension. This had brought peace and prosperity and won broad public support, Ma said in his speech at the inauguration ceremony.

"We have promoted cross-Strait 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.