"Information provided by relevant U. S. authorities to Taiwan's offices in the United States prior to and after Obama's visit has been the most extensive ever," Ma said during a meeting with American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Raymond F. Burghardt at the Presidential Office.

President Ma raised with Burghardt the long-running issue of a trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA) between the United States and Taiwan, the possibility of the two sides signing an extradition treaty and his administration's hope that the United States would soon approve the sale of F16C/D jet fighters to Taiwan for defense purposes.

The president also urged that the United States include Taiwan in its visa-free program.

Touching on Taiwan's controversial expansion of its market to allow imports of U.S. ground beef and offal, Ma said his government will employ the strictest checks of such U.S. beef products prior to importation, in line with the regulations of the World Trade Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health.

He however gave the assurance that, in the process, the Taiwan-U.S. beef protocol that was clinched in October will not be breached.

Ma said his administration is highly committed to its international obligations and will not back off from the accords it has signed with other countries.

The top U.S liaison official with Taiwan arrived in Taipei Sunday to give a briefing on the meeting between Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao and to discuss the issues of U.S. arms sales and U.S. beef imports to Taiwan.

"I would like to express thanks for the efforts made by the U.S.

government and by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Raymond F. Burghardt in this regard, " Ma said.

For his part, Burghardt said that the United States has not changed its long-term stance toward Taiwan, as evidenced by the statements made by Obama in public and in private while he was visiting China.

The United States has only "acknowledged" Beijing's claims toward Taiwan, in line with the 1972 Shanghai comunique, Burghardt said, adding that Washington has never altered its stance concerning Taiwan's sovereignty or its territory.

"The United States has never taken a position on the political status of Taiwan," he noted.

In Beijing, Obama mentioned Washington's commitment to abiding by the Taiwan Relations Act, which Burghardt said is important to both the United States and Taiwan.

The United States has long hoped that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait would respect the mandate of their people and peacefully resolve their differences, he added.

(By Carfie Lee and Flor Wang)