TAIPEI - Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou stressed Thursday in an interview with Kyodo News he wants to see relations between Taiwan and the Philippines restored quickly.
The comment came as relations with Manila have been strained for weeks over the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine Coast Guard last month.
"The Republic of China government is peace-loving and dedicated to resolving the dispute peacefully," Ma told Kyodo News. "The Taiwan-Japan fisheries agreement can serve as a fine example for reference."
The shooting incident took place May 9 when a 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman was killed as a Philippine Coast Guard vessel fired on his boat about 170 nautical miles off the southeastern coast of Taiwan in an area where exclusive economic zones claimed by Taipei and Manila overlap.
Taiwanese officials soon issued a harshly worded ultimatum demanding a formal apology from the Philippine government, compensation for the fisherman's family, punishment of those responsible and the start of talks on a bilateral fisheries pact.
Taiwan also ejected the Philippines' top diplomatic official and imposed sanctions including the suspension of visas for Filipino workers
Taiwan president eyes fishing deal with Philippines | ABS-CBN News