Meet Taiwan’s Conciliator-Elect
Urging Beijing to seize the chance for cross-strait détente
A political earthquake shook Taiwan on March 22. Out went the brash, pro-independence Chen Shui-bian. In came mild-mannered Ma Ying-jeou, who has ambitious plans to open Taiwan's economy to China. The power shift has raised high expectations of economic revival and a cross-strait thaw. NEWSWEEK'S George Wehrfritz and Jonathan Adams sat down with Taiwan's next president last Thursday to talk about his plans. Excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: You won in a landslide. Why?
Ma: The pugnacious nationalism … of the government created many problems. But I think economic problems were the biggest [factor]. People felt that enough is enough. My running mate and I made a very comprehensive proposal for the future. But our opponent … didn't really lay out a vision for Taiwan. He spent a lot of time attacking me, and my family members. That also proved to be counterproductive. People wanted the candidates to tell them where Taiwan should go.
You now have a strong mandate. What do you think the Taiwanese people want?
They want a vibrant economy, a clean government, a society with equitable distribution of wealth and a peaceful Taiwan Strait. They've been very much troubled by the existence of a corrupt government … this is something that people resent. The year before last, there were 100,000 people rushing into the streets to protest [against corruption involving the First Family and top officials].
I think it's quite clear that the policy of quasi isolation made Taiwan less competitive. Taiwan's national competitiveness in all of the surveys lagged behind the other three "tigers." Our economic growth has become … better only than Japan's.
What contributions did Chen make to Taiwan's democracy?
He started as a human-rights lawyer, defending political prisoners, so he did contribute to Taiwan's democratization. And I think his rise to prominence from a very poor family proves that Taiwan is a society with mobility. But he didn't keep his house in order. I was surprised by how many family members of his were involved in corruption charges. That's one thing. Another is his insistence on the ideological isolation of Taiwan. [This] really brought a lot of damage to Taiwan.
You recently called Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao "unreasonable" and "stupid," and suggested a boycott of the Beijing Olympics if the Tibet situation gets worse. Do such comments hurt your efforts to improve cross-strait relations?
I didn't like the way he talked about Tibet and Taiwan together. That was really an irritant, particularly during a presidential election—it actually aided my opponent. The boycott is conditioned on two scenarios. The first is that [China] continues to suppress the Tibetan people, and the situation gets worse. And then we should consult the people.
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Member Comments
Posted By: chongyeeyap @ 04/19/2008 9:00:58 PM
Comment: Chimonkey speaks for the USA State Department and he is not Chinese; who among our Chinese family does not want a China UNITED ? The USA has played the usual divide and rule and those Chinese traitors exist who will sell thier motherland for profit. There has always been in China's history traitors who trade their influence for currupt profit. Is there smell of corruption in the huge defense purchase from the USA worht several billion US$ in the works ?
There are no born leaders, only leaders who mature while in office; example is Bush a born leader ? Is Chen Shui Bian a born leader ? It is always the red herring to use such nonsense to denigrate leaders who one does not support to say that he is not a born leader. Pray, TELL ME WHY MR MA IS NOT A BORN LEADER ? I certainly say he is a naturally born leader, WHY AM I WRONG ?
Why would this "MONKEY" fellow out of hand condemns Mr Ma as not a born leader. Let Mr Ma acquit himself when he is in office. Why would a decent man not be a born leader ? This MONKEY fellow want to create a false image of Mr Ma for the rest of the world to pin a tag on. You, Monkey will fail ! The Chinese family are just exstatic that Mr Ma has won this election and through his decent and good sense we all Chinese hope for a smooth reconcialiation of the ONE CHINA. Western people stick your nose elsewhere, like in Iraq !
Posted By: chongyeeyap @ 04/19/2008 9:00:46 PM
Comment: Chimonkey speaks for the USA State Department and he is not Chinese; who among our Chinese family does not want a China UNITED ? The USA has played the usual divide and rule and those Chinese traitors exist who will sell thier motherland for profit. There has always been in China's history traitors who trade their influence for currupt profit. Is there smell of corruption in the huge defense purchase from the USA worht several billion US$ in the works ?
There are no born leaders, only leaders who mature while in office; example is Bush a born leader ? Is Chen Shui Bian a born leader ? It is always the red herring to use such nonsense to denigrate leaders who one does not support to say that he is not a born leader. Pray, TELL ME WHY MR MA IS NOT A BORN LEADER ? I certainly say he is a naturally born leader, WHY AM I WRONG ?
Why would this "MONKEY" fellow out of hand condemns Mr Ma as not a born leader. Let Mr Ma acquit himself when he is in office. Why would a decent man not be a born leader ? This MONKEY fellow want to create a false image of Mr Ma for the rest of the world to pin a tag on. You, Monkey will fail ! The Chinese family are just exstatic that Mr Ma has won this election and through his decent and good sense we all Chinese hope for a smooth reconcialiation of the ONE CHINA. Western people stick your nose elsewhere, like in Iraq !
Posted By: chongyeeyap @ 04/19/2008 9:00:22 PM
Comment: Chimonkey speaks for the USA State Department and he is not Chinese; who among our Chinese family does not want a China UNITED ? The USA has played the usual divide and rule and those Chinese traitors exist who will sell thier motherland for profit. There has always been in China's history traitors who trade their influence for currupt profit. Is there smell of corruption in the huge defense purchase from the USA worht several billion US$ in the works ?
There are no born leaders, only leaders who mature while in office; example is Bush a born leader ? Is Chen Shui Bian a born leader ? It is always the red herring to use such nonsense to denigrate leaders who one does not support to say that he is not a born leader. Pray, TELL ME WHY MR MA IS NOT A BORN LEADER ? I certainly say he is a naturally born leader, WHY AM I WRONG ?
Why would this "MONKEY" fellow out of hand condemns Mr Ma as not a born leader. Let Mr Ma acquit himself when he is in office. Why would a decent man not be a born leader ? This MONKEY fellow want to create a false image of Mr Ma for the rest of the world to pin a tag on. You, Monkey will fail ! The Chinese family are just exstatic that Mr Ma has won this election and through his decent and good sense we all Chinese hope for a smooth reconcialiation of the ONE CHINA. Western people stick your nose elsewhere, like in Iraq !