Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has seen his approval rating nearly halved since his May 20 inauguration because of public anger over the island's deteriorating economy, a newspaper poll published Wednesday found.

The telephone poll of 1,029 adults by the United Daily News showed that satisfaction with Ma has dropped from 66 per cent on his inauguration day to its lowest level, 37 per cent, on Tuesday.

Taipei  - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou said Friday that the Taiwan Strait is no longer a flashpoint because both Taipei and Beijing are striving for peace.

"In the nearly half a year since my inauguration, both sides have expressed goodwill and built more consensus and mutual trust," he said while receiving a delegation from the US non-profit Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "Therefore, the Taiwan Strait, which used to be the flashpoint in East Asia, is moving towards peace."

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou met Thursday with Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin for five minutes to express his appreciation for Chen's efforts in promoting exchanges between the two rival sides on the Taiwan Strait.

The historic meeting was held amid protests by hundreds of Taiwan independence supporters, who shouted from the other side of the heavily barricaded meeting venue, "Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China," and "No selling out of Taiwan."

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Thursday condemned the mobbing of Chinese envoy Chen Yun-lin, telling the Taiwan public that his efforts toward reconciliation with China is not selling out Taiwan to Beijing.

"Assembly and demonstrations must be legal," Ma said at a news conference and, referring to the head of the opposition DPP, added, "The Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman promised to abide by the law, but what happened at the Regent Hotel yesterday is regrettable."

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Sunday urged China and Taiwan to recognize each other's sovereignty.

"If the two sides recognize each other, the cross-strait problem will no longer exist," he said in an interview with the Taichung Radio Station, referring to the Taiwan-China feud which began with the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, which the Nationalists, who fled to Taiwan, lost.

Ma added that he hopes that when Chinese negotiator Chen Yunlin visits Taiwan this week for talks, Chen would call him "president."

Before Taiwan and China extend mutual recognition to each other, each side for the time being should not deny the other side's existence, Ma said.

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, in his National Day speech, called for peace with China under the precondition that Taiwan's sovereign and defence is guaranteed.

Presiding over the first National Day celebration since his May 20 inauguration, Ma said his pursuing peace and expanding exchanges with China has won support from the international community.