PRESIDENT Ma Yingjeou insisted yesterday that Taiwan’s relations with the People’s Republic of China were moving forward despite public opposition that culminated in an occupation of parliament last year.

When Mr Ma took office in 2008, his government accelerated efforts to improve relations with China by avoiding politics to concentrate on trade, investment and transport links.

But Mr Ma has taken issue with claims that the policy had contributed to steep losses for his Nationalist Party in November’s local elections.

“The reason the Nationalists lost the local elections last year actually had no direct relation to cross-strait policies, but was mainly about domestic issues,” he declared.

“Last year, cross-strait relations hit some minor setbacks, but basically they are moving ahead on a course of peaceful development.”

Taiwan has applied to join a regional infrastructure investment bank that Beijing plans to launch, which might benefit local builders and project managers, the president added.