Taiwan, China and Ma Ying-jeou

The thoughts of Chairman Ma

Why the president’s decision to become party chairman matters to China

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I doubt that mainland China is resisting multiparty democracy, it is the CCP that is resisting it, because they know that the people would vote them out in a second. The Chinese also want democracy. As for India, you dismiss it like people in the past dismissed China. India has got a good future ahead the democratic foundations (that China is delaying) will give India the edge in the future. Taiwan was no angel in the past, no country ever was, but its exposure to democratic ideas made it what it is today.


I do realise that unification is still a contraversial issue in TW. But let's be fair, KMT (China's Nationalist Party to be precise, which sticks to its name and has no plan to erase "China" from the party's name) solidly controls the gov't and paliament and DDP is hopeless to challenge, which says a lot.

In addition, I would make a futile suggestion to western media overall, be careful using terms such as Chinese vs Taiwanese, China vs Taiwan. Ma himself made it clear numerous times that he is Chinese, and he always refers to the entity across strait as Chinese Mainland. But I know it's futile because we are dealing with western media, aha!

As for political freedom mentioned by some people here, I surely realise it is a big problem for mainland China. However, shall I point out that Taiwan, just like other Asian tigers (S Korea, HK, Singapore), achived economic miracles under iron fists? As oppose to India which has been consitently sticking to western democracy, as one of the outcomes, you see the highest children malnutrition rate in the world. http://hdrstats.undp.org/indicators/65.html

So in that perspective, I am happy that mainland has the one party rule. We have the fastest expansion of economy, forest (80% of world's forest increase comes from China, http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/a0400e/a0400e00.htm), solar energy, high speed rail (more that half of world's HSR is building in China) and even basic science (China is the ONLY developing country that regularly publishes cutting edge researches in journals such as Science, Nature). And here are two examples that caught world-wide attentions this year:



So to be honest, I am happy that US, and its allies, is making multi-party democracy such a political bible that only mainland China can resist it. Havn't we seen Russia was ruined, and Ukraine has been in trouble for years, the street fight in Thailand, and the stupid Hamas which however was elected convincingly, and I have already talked about India...... the list can go on and on...


Nobody doubts that Madrid is part of Spain, whether Taiwan is part of China is very much in doubt. The only inalienable right that people have is to be free and independent, if that is what the Taiwanese want, it is not right to stop them. As I was asking earlier, who here can openly tell me they would rather have war with Taiwan than accepting their independence ?

Taiwan got to where it is now because they were outside of CCP control, it is hard for me to understand why they would want to surrender all that for a "One China". What is so great about "One China" anyway, if one looks at all the "One China" dynasties they became big, corrupt and eventually fell. I cannot understand why anyone would want to repeat these endless cycles of dynastic growth and collapse.


same us you,if i have trip to madrid,i will tell my friend i will go to madrid,not spain.
Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.


The western people have no guts to claim Taiwan as a country, even though the oridinary western people consider Taiwan as a country.
That's their democracy, literaly, the government is the representative of the people, but the fact is another thing.....
No guts or no democracy?
No justice or hypocrisy?



This is a Taiwai-based website called "Union of Chinese Nationalists" 中 国 泛 滥 联 盟 .
It was established for the purpose of promoting the unification of China, fighting against communist regime and safeguard territorial integrity of ROC(including outer mongolia). Recently a similar youth organisation has appeared in Taiwan.

Unluckily, pan-blue alliance was outlawed in mainland, cuz its goal is to subvert the communist regime. Several pan-blue alliance members were put in prison.


Last time I checked the goods are labeled: "made in Taiwan" it is called Taiwan by many people, have a look at some map books, when people refer to their sports team what do you think they call it, I can go on forever. When people go on holiday they say I am going to Taiwan, they do not say I am going to the Republic of China.

The country is independent get used to it. They only reason they cannot declare independence is because of bullying from people like you who would rather have war than let Taiwan be free.

Also I can call it anything I want, how dare you tell me what I should call it.


To Ulrich312,

Are you insane? How dare you to call Taiwan a country. Even the government on Taiwan calls itself the Republic of China. Who are you to call Taiwan a country?


I have a very simple question which I never seem to get an answer to. Do the Taiwanese want official "independence", since they are practically independent anyway. If they do declare independence would the CCP invade Taiwan ? Would they risk the death of millions ? Are many Taiwanese afraid to support independence because of this threat of war, if that is true then it is truly a disgrace that a democratic country is being bullied by a dictatorship.


Ma Ying-jeou is a wise politician, taiwanese called him the governor of Chinese Taiwan province, that was a joke and pan-green alliance also wants to demonize his figure as a pro-unification activist.

Ma has proposed his new idea of " 识 正 书 简 (the policy of recognizing the traditional chinese characters and writing the simplified chinese characters in both mainland and Taiwan)" last month. And the name "Democracy Memorial Hall" was also changed back to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

If Ma hopes Taiwan to be independent, he has no need to do so much things. The independence of a region firstly occurs in its culture, that's why the previous top leader of Taiwan Chen Shui-bian has launched de-Sinicization campaign.

But what Ma has done doesn't mean a compromise to CCP, from my perspective, the independence of Taiwan means suicide and the collapse of the economy, the basis of the unification is mainland China has achieved democracy.

Ma also has said one China, to my understanding, is republic of China ( 中 华 民 国 ).
I commented in another article, the western democracy is poor in its essence, too much restrictions and less multi-institutional support, low efficient, ect. When the resource of the world is limited and the renewable energy has still not be developed, the conflict between east and west will continue, the west naturally would not like to see a unified strong civilisation, which can surpass them easily. (The number of 1.4 billion itself is quite horrible.)

And US has already get used to contracting with CCP, CCP acts like a comprador, the resource is used to manufacture more and more products and eventually they are going to be exported at low price, it has caused the environment disaster and the western people are enjoying those products, whilst attributing their unemployment to China ;)

All Chinese (both in Taiwan and mainland) should unite to build up a superpowerful China.


We do see the inconsistancy of Ma's leadership no matter in system of executive or law makers, none to speak of the local county leaders. However, does this move really help Ma to increase his controllership? According to his characters and previous record as a KMT chairman, I doubt that.
For the voters with high expectations of Ma in 2008's election, they have started doubting the efficiency of Ma and his team. Removing the part of cross-strait issues, we have to review what are left by our new government, with a highly promised checks in election.


Perhaps for a start;China and its province Taiwan could join as one unit together ASEAN and work with a jointly and newly created ministerial body united internationaly.

frank tseng

In addition to unify or not to unify.

Taiwan, would not be able to make itself independent, at least not in the near future. Lack of internation support due to the power balance in international community is the major set back.

The second set back is Taiwan's economical structure. It relies on China in many ways that many of Taiwan's industry will not be able to survive without China.

The conclusion, disregarding the political, human rights, freedom, and cultural issues, it all comes down to economical issue. In a simplier term, MONEY. For most of those who has them, either they are migrating to other safer nations, or they are already done so. For those who does not have the financial strength to do so, they only chance for them is the stand up and fight! If they still want to resist China's unification!

Resistance is Fultile, I believe this is a fairly good way to put it here!!

frank tseng

Just a thought, how would those who suggest Taiwan should be united with China prefer to live in China? In China, a person does not have much access for the information that is available any where in the freeworld. In China, a person does not have much say when dealing with legal issue. In China, a person do not have much chance to challenge the authorities. And there are many other things that this person, assuming he/she does not have "powerful" friends in China, is not free to do.

On the other hand, a person in Taiwan does have the chance to confront with the authorities, and make challenges when in doubt. However, most of these supposed priviledge in a good democracy environment is diminishing since the KMT took power a few years back.

As for those who's making any suggestions, it would be wiser to live and work in both places for at least 6 months like ordinary people before making any comments.


If someone doesn't want to marry someone, how would you get this person marry you. isn't it better to let this person go?

How China proposes to unite with Taiwan? If the Taiwanese don't want to be part of China, how would you force them to unite? Only by military force! Is that the Chinese way of harmony? Shouldn't we first ask the Taiwanese what do they want to do?


Chinese posters like to point out that Taiwanese prefer to keep status quo as the proof of Taiwanese reluctance for independence.

But what is the status quo? Taiwanese travel under their own passport, elect their own government and pay taxes to that government which maintains a military whose only possible enemy is the behemoth across the strait with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of missiles pointing at Taiwan.

That sounds like an independent country to me. You're only fooling yourself by refusing to accept what the status quo really is.


@lecra: People who have never set foot on Taiwan soil should not speak for the Taiwanese people. The fact that you state "Taiwanese people do not want independence" reflects on your pure ignorance over the matter. Taiwanese wish to be independent of China, this fact is really unarguable for anyone who lives in Taiwan and has a clue. However, Taiwanese elect for status quo in fear of reprisal from China's 1.3 billion population. They recognize that a push for independence will inflict a deadly rainstorm of artillery on defenseless civilians.



"It is a commonsense that 80% Taiwanese want to maintain status quo because they want to be independent from China."

That's very scary, they want the independent Taiwan. China should deploy more missiles aiming at Taiwan. Just in case. Wake up, PLA!!

Phan Kane

It is a pity that the smart, highly intellectual, sophisticated Chinese in Taiwan have to come back to the peasants, sons of peasants wearing communist mask. All, because of money, who said money can't buy love!!!


The DPP have expelled 2 heavyweights for lack of remorse for their attendance of the Cross-straits forum. Pro-Independence elements seem to be suffering from lack of clear vision and leadership since both Godfather and his Godson have stepped out of the scene. These have enable Chairman Ma to plough ahead with closer Mainland ties especially the crucial ECFA necessary to protect Taiwan exports to the Mainland.



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