President Ying-jeou Ma of Taiwan
This picture has been released into the public domain
Ma was baptized a Catholic but has not practiced the religion in his adult life.
Growing up in Taiwan: Ma received his law degree from National Taiwan University in 1972, then spent two years serving for Taiwan's Marine Corps and Navy.
Study in the United States: In 1976, Ma received his master of laws degree from New York University, then went on to Harvard University, where he received his Doctor of Juridicial Science in 1981.
While in New York, Ma married Christine Chow, who was a high school classmate of his sister.
As mayor, Ma was widely popular, receiving approval ratings above 70 percent.
Head of Party: While Ma was the mayor, he also served as the chairman of the Kuomintang Party, where he won the first-ever election for that position in 2005.
Ma was sworn into office in May 2008.
In November 2008, Ma met with Chinese representative Chen Yunlin in a historic visit aimed at improving ties between China and Taiwan, amid protests from citizens that oppose improved ties between the two sides.
Ma was born in Hong Kong (Kwong Wah Hospital in Kowloon), then a British Crown Colony, to father Ma Ho-ling from Xiangtan, Hunan (from his biological grandfather) or Hengshan, Hunan (from his step-grandfather.
Ma is married to Christine Chow with two daughters.
born in 1981 in New York) was born when Ma was at Harvard; she is currently a graduate student at New York University, having completed her undergraduate work at Harvard University.
Technically, Ma is the Republic of China's first Catholic president.
therefore Ma is considered a "lapsed Catholic.
Ma was relieved of his post in 1996.
Ma was able to repair the political damage and in December 2002, he became the leading figure in the KMT by easily winning reelection as mayor of Taipei with the support of 64% of Taipei voters while DPP challenger Lee Ying-yuan received 36.
While often nicknamed as “Teflon pot” for his extreme preservation of personal image, Ma was nonetheless caught in some political controversies.
The island's highest court said Ma had neither collected illegal income nor tried to break the law.
Ma has 2 daugthers and their names are Lesley W.
What Ma said in the interview is the second choice that China would be unified as a whole in the long-term future.
If you think criticizing is not neutral, then is praising neutral? Ma has already recieved the praising that he deserved in other paragraphs, didn' he? What would you say if we come up something that make these fact laudable? Something like "Ma's proposal of indirect election would cut down the cost of election process"? Or you can add more things praising his contribution to the society into the paragraph.
Wouldn't focusing everything on "standing at the opposite side during Taiwan democratization" be one sided because it is assumed "Taiwan democratization" is a good thing and Ma shouldn't stand against it? In another instance, did Ma have a choice of whether to display the ROC flag in the stadium? Also, with the first sentence, saying Ma opposed the referendum implies Ma was standing against its democratic aspect, which was not the case.
Ma is NOT include when comes to this incident.
Second, pointing out that Ma has campaigned for less than admirable politicians is an aspect of his chairmanship that is much too detailed to be in the lead section.
Ma is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and speaks fluent English.
Maybe it's just a rumor, but it's been reported by the media.
Do we not know anything about Ma Ying-jeou here? Ma has long been accused of being a student spy at Harvard by the democracy side, at least as far back as 1989, when Winston Dang published that, without using his name, in the introduction to "Taiwangate", a compilation on student spying in the US.
Ma said that "He used all of special funds on public" and "If Special Funds is public fund,then.
But Ma took a couple of strong stands against the mainland this weekend.
At a news conference following his election Ma said that China would have to dismantle its missiles before a peace treaty can be negotiated.
Ma was vice secretary-general of the KMT Central Committee between 1984 and 1988, and assumed a number of administrative posts.
In March 2003, Ma was elected vice chairman of the KMT.
Ying-jeou Ma was born in Hong Kong in 1950.
Ma was a legal consultant to the First National Bank of Boston and a research consultant to the University of Maryland Law School between 1980 and 1981.
Ma was also interpreter to President Lee Teng-hui, Chiang���s successor.
Ma joined the Executive Yuan as Chairman of the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission.
Ma joined the faculty of Taiwan���s prestigious National Chengchi University Law School as an associate professor of international law.
Ma has maintained approval rates above 70 percent, the highest of Taiwan���s municipal officials.
Ma is the author of two books dealing with international law of the sea���one in English and one in Chinese, published in 1984 and 1986, respectively���and nineteen papers dealing with international organizations, cross-strait relations, and international law, published in academic journals in Taiwan and abroad.
Ma has been married for twenty-nine years to Christine Chow, a banking lawyer.
Ma is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English; he also speaks a few Chinese and Taiwanese dialects, and a little French.
On October 28, Ma said that it took concrete measures to ensure the safety of the Taiwanese public.
Ma YingJeou - The Hope of Republic of ChinaMa YingJeou at KiwipediaMa promises to set up a national `English village'Embattled Taiwan president¡¯s wife indictedMa Ying-jeou to receive second-trial verdictUS says referendum binds new presidentMa says cross-strait peace accord is around the cornerTaipei Yi-Kuang Orphanage celebrates 50th anniversaryChina warns Japan over Taiwan activistsMa Ying-Jeou - The Hope of Republic of ChinaMa Ying-Jeou at KiwipediaMa promises to set up a national `English village'Embattled Taiwan president¡¯s wife indictedMa Ying-jeou to receive second-trial verdictUS says referendum binds new presidentMa says cross-strait peace accord is around the cornerTaipei Yi-Kuang Orphanage celebrates 50th anniversaryChina warns Japan over Taiwan activistsPRESS DIGEST-TaiwanAIT chairman set to arrive Saturday for brief visitKMT could win 71 seats in Legislative Yuan: Wu Chung-liWomen's rights advocates want Chuang Kuo-yung disciplinedLetters: Why Wait?Hsieh's victory may spawn 'third force'Verdict in Ma's special allowance caseAIT chairman to meet presidential hopefuls in TaiwanLetters: Will Chen wear the pants?Ma speaks on measures to bridge rich/poor gapMa calls DPP's idea of 'country of the seas' a fakeMayor Ma Yingjeou.
US official: Taiwan's UN referendum breaks "no independence" pledgeJapanese protest against Ma in Tokyo over islandsMa urges nationals not to be cheated by the Democratic Progressive Party againFirst televised presidential debate to be heldMa wants minors to be free of 'inherited debt'Time for another change of government: KMT's MaMa winds up long stay, gives account of successesHsieh, Ma running neck and neck in pollsTaiwan opposition says govt tries to downplay leader legacyECCT: Ma's economic plans a step in right directionMa Ying-jeou's cooling-off strategyKMT's victory in polls will help revive economy: MaTaiwan opposition calls Chinese plan to open new air route unwiseMa discusses his personal sacrifices for political lifeBiased news coverage a disgrace to the countryBanks may tighten lendings amid new inheritance rulesChen raises martial law specterForeign chambers react favorably to Ma speechJapan likes Ma's honestyKMT's appointment regrettableTaiwanese protestors continue demo outside Democracy Memorial Hall complexKuomintang marks founding anniversaryCommentary: Cross-strait peace a hard nut to crackIt's time for Taiwan to hit back at emissionsTaiwan is heading in the wrong directionKuomintang presidential candidate leading poll by 15%Taiwanese identity has no colorShare price index to soar in 2008: analystsCourt confirms Chen as Kaohsiung mayor, settles dispute over campaigning tacticsLu pleads not guilty to corruption chargesEx-lawmaker under fire over Hsieh remarkHsieh meets with Nobel laureate LeeUS.
Ma has come to power on a platform that emphasizes Taiwan's and China's shared interests, even while maintaining a commitment to "put Taiwan first.
Ma has said unification will be off the table as a negotiating topic during his presidency, and he has made it clear in countless ways that Taiwan is his homeland, the country he has been elected to represent and to lead.
Ma has called for a "diplomatic truce" whereby the two sides would stop expanding their diplomatic partnerships at one another's expense.
Mr Ma has been speaking to Graeme Dobell.
In Japans political circles, however, Ma is also a target of criticism for his longstanding role as an activist on the Taiwan-Japanese dispute over the Diaoyutai/Senkaku Islands.
For example, some of the activists that Ma praised for their anti-Japanese activities were actually murdered by the KMT in a 1947 massacre of Taiwanese dissidents (CNA, August 21, 2005.
Ma was warned by another legislator that if Taiwans leaders do not respond to the anti-Japanese movement, an anti-Taiwan movement will arise in Japan.
Not only had the two not held a face-to-face meeting while Ma was in Tokyo, but half of their 10-minute telephone discussion, during which Abe gave Ma a welcome to Japan greeting, was spent on consecutive interpretation.
worst in the world since Ma took office.
visit hard-hit areas, and the trip came as late as last weekend.
goodwill towards Beijing, he had not received a good response.
something his predecessor Chen Shui-bian never did.
tainted-milk products, and what seems like a typhoon every week," said Tsai.
Now what has this new Kuomintang Party that seems destined to win the next election in two years got to say about these problems? Two years is an eternity, although Mayor Ma is now considered by far the front-runner, while the DPP is struggling to name a candidate.
So that amount with Panama is only less than 1 percent.
Ma said voters had used their ballots to demonstrate their will against corruption, and their desire for stability.
17 April 2005: Dr Ying-jeou Ma is Mayor of Tapei City, Taiwan.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Mayor Ma has spent 18 years in Taiwan (ROC) national government, formerly holding the cabinet posts of Minister of Justice (1993-1996) and Minister without Portfolio (1996-1997.
Mayor Ma is the author of numerous books and articles, including The ROC (Taiwan)'s entry into the World Trade Organizations in The Chinese Yearbook of International Law and Affairs (1998.
Mayor Ma was born in 1950 in Hong Kong and raised in Taiwan.
Ying-jeou Ma is the central figure responsible for Taipei city's overall development.
In addition, Mayor Ma is also working on a number of programmes to increase technology awareness in Taipei and bring the information revolution to the average citizen.
Mayor Ma has also initiated much-needed traffic relief systems, removing 45,000 illegal road obstructions and regaining 33,000 parking spaces - all monitored by computer.
At the same time, Mayor Ma is keen to make Taipei a world-class city by developing sister-city relationships and developing exchange programmes with other cities in areas such as symphony orchestras and medical establishments.
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Winning 58 percent of the vote, Ma was swept to victory on the promise of economic growth but through the more controversial method of building closer ties with China.
Ma has ruled out unification in his term.
On the country's current trade restrictions with China, Ma said he plans to allow direct air links between the two countries and allow Chinese tourists into Taiwan.
In some of those circles, Ma is distrusted because he did not join in publicly rejecting Chenâs 2004 reelection.
Although planned before Ma took office, such efforts were energized by passages in Maâs inaugural address that reached out to Beijing.
Abroad, Ma has aims for which support and trust at home will be vital assets.
a meeting between Hu and former KMT leader Lien Chan that reprised their breakthrough 2005 meeting and joint statement of principles on cross-Strait relations that Ma has largely endorsed; and a post-inaugural visit to the PRC by current KMT chairman Wu Poh-hsiung.
In ways that matter for cross-Strait relations, Ma is not Lien Chan, the senior KMT leader and two-time KMT presidential nominee with whom Hu and others have had the most extensive dealings in recent years.
To be sure, Ma has made strong, credible commitments to deeper engagement with the PRC and warmer cross-Strait relations.
Even though many inside the campaign appeared genuinely to believe that the outcome was in doubt, Ma took positions on China policy that might cost him votes.
At the same time, Ma has bound himself no less firmly to positions that limit how far Taiwan will go in pursuing closer ties with Beijing.
Even though it might harm hopes for quick post-election progress, candidate Ma had some harsh words for the PRC.
Ma has said that the cross-Strait peace accord floated in the Hu-Lien joint statement would require Beijingâs withdrawal of missiles that threaten Taiwan.
tv): Live at the Aqua Lounge in Beverly Hills, CA, Barack Obama is declared winner President-Elect on election night.
During his time as Taipei's mayor, Ma had many conflicts with the central government over such matters as health insurance rates and control of the water supply during the drought.
Ma was elected Mayor of Taipei in 1998 and re-elected in 2002.
Despite this reputation, and his wooden speaking style and shy demeanor, Ma is also considered a charismatic figure and is popular among women and youth.
On November 14, 2006, Ma was questioned by prosecutors over his alleged misuse of a special expenses account as Taipei mayor.
On February 13, 2007, Ma was indicted by the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office on charges of allegedly embezzling approximately NT$11 million (US$339,000), regarding the issue of special expenses while he was mayor of Taipei.
The prosecutor's office said that Ma had allegedly used government funds for personal use, such as paying for one of his daughter's living expenses while studying abroad and paying for his household utilities.
Before that, Ma had admitted personal usage and claims that the special funds were simply a part of his salary but had used all funds for public use or public benefit (charity donations.
Ma denied having one and publicly expressed that no members of his family had one.
In response to the DPP attack on the US citizenship of his sisters, Ma expressed that having a US passport or green card did not mean that someone was not loyal to Taiwan.
Ma has been criticized by many environmental groups.
After Ma was elected president on March 22, 2008, the Green Party Taiwan expressed its fear that president-elect Ma focuses too much on improving the economy, that he has ignored many critical environmental issues.
As a fierce critic of President Chens pro-independence, anti-Chinese rhetoric, Ma is seeking to dramatically improve Taiwans relationship with the mainland.
On the military side of things, Ma has broached the idea of establishing confidence-building measures with the mainland designed to scale back the armaments buildup along the Taiwan Strait.
And now Ma has gained the presidency in the greatest landslide vote in Taiwans electoral history.
In a 2005 interview with Newsweek, this is what Ma said on the subject: f Taiwan makes a provocative move, would be left with no choice but to use force.
LISTEN UP: Ma said the majority of the public supported his cross-strait initiatives, but he would continue to communicate with those who did not By Ko Shu-ling STAFF REPORTER Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009, Page 3.
Ma is ineligible to run for mayor a third time in 2006 due to term limits, but is frequently mentioned to be a potential presidential candidate in 2008.
During his tenure as Minister of Justice, Ma was seen as cracking down on black gold, especially in his own party and the ROC government.
His personal charisma has made him one of Taiwan's most popular politicians, and he retains a following from citizens, particularly those who identify themselves as the Pan-Blue Coalition.
Ma was born in Hong Kong (Kwong Wah Hospital in Kowloon), then a British colony, to parents from Hunan.
Ma himself has claimed that his parents had already been in Taiwan before he was born and that his father was on assignment to Hong Kong when he was born there, though it is unclear to what assignment Ma was referring.
Ma was later promoted to the chair of the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission under the Executive Yuan at the age of 38, becoming the youngest cabinet member of the ROC government.
Ma was deputy secretary-general of the KMT from 1984 to 1988, also serving for a period as deputy of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), a cabinet-level body in charge of cross-straits relations.
Ma was relieved of his post in 1996 because, his supporters claim, he proved too effective at fighting black gold political corruption within the KMT.
In the 2000 Presidential Election, Ma remained loyal to the KMT and supported its candidate, Lien Chan, over James Soong, who had bolted from the party and was running as an independent.
Ma was able to repair the political damage and, in December 2002, became a superstar of the KMT by easily winning reelection with the support of 64% of Taipei voters, while DPP challenger Lee Ying-yuan, a novice politician, received only 36.
During his administration years, Ma had many conflicts with the central government over such matters as health insurance rates and control of the water supply during the drought.
Ma has expressed mild support for Chinese reunification and opposition to Taiwan independence.
Ma has generally avoided being accused of using the vitriolic and sometimes offensive rhetoric common in Taiwanese political debate.
Despite this reputation, and his wooden speaking style and shy demeanor, Ma is also considered a charismatic figure because his babyface good looks make him popular among women and youth.
Ma is often accused of avoiding being out in front on some of the more vigorous or controversial criticisms of President Chen or opposing parties, or involving himself in intra-party disputes.
Among these critics, Ma has been referred to as a non-stick pan or Teflon-man.
In recent years, Ma has increasingly employed Taiwanese (Hoklo) in public speaking, perhaps to avoid backlash for his parents' mainland origin, and he has called himself a child of Bangka (Wanhua), identifying himself with the historic district of Taipei where he grew up.
While often nicknamed as “nonstick pot” for his extreme perservation of personal image, Ma was nonetheless got caught in some political controversies despite the preferential treatment he enjoys with the local press.
In addition to those incidents that give rise to public doubt on his competency, Ma has also been criticized for his involvement in several alleged scandals.
Ma denied the charges from Liao Zheng-jing, a member of Kuomintang and the ex-chairman of TaipeiBank, for mis-pricing the divestiture in Fubon’s favor.
On 5 April 2005, in an exclusive interview with CTV talk show host Sisy Chen, Ma said he wished to lead the opposition Kuomintang with Wang, if he were elected its chairman, as their support bases are complementary.
After the election, Ma has stated repeatedly that he wishes Wang to remain as first-ranked deputy chairman.
Wang has, indeed, accepted a party post that is incompatible with vice chairmanship, effectively ending the possibility that he would be vice chairman, although after meeting with Wang, Ma has stated that he would leave the position open for Wang.
Ma has also repeatedly stated that he has no plans to resign from the Taipei mayorship, even after he formally took over the chairmanship from incumbent Lien Chan during the 17th Party Congress of the KMT in August 2005.
In February 2006, while visiting Europe, Ma said that although he and the KMT favor eventual reunification, the KMT respects the opinions of Taiwanese people, and independence is a choice for some citizens in Taiwan.
Ma has defined the status quo as the Five No's.
Ma is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and speaks reasonably good English.