Ma Ying-jeou

Ma Ying-jeou
Name	Ma Ying-jeou
Native name	馬英九
Birth date	1950-07-13
Birth place	Hong Kong
Nationality	Republic of China
Party	Kuomintang
Alma mater	National Taiwan University, New York University School of Law, Harvard University
Occupation	Politician, lawyer, professor
Spouse	Sung Chi-hua

Ma Ying-jeou

Ma Ying-jeou is a Taiwanese politician and legal scholar who served as President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2008 to 2016 and as Chairman of the Kuomintang from 2005 to 2007 and 2009 to 2014. His career spans roles in the Taipei City Government, Ministry of Justice, Legislative Yuan, and international engagements with the People's Republic of China through cross-strait mechanisms such as the Straits Exchange Foundation and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait. He is noted for legal reforms, economic policies including the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, and controversies involving public protests like the Sunflower Student Movement and the Wild Strawberry student movement.

Early life and education

Born in Hong Kong in 1950 to parents originating from Hunan, he grew up in Taiwan amid the era of martial law under the Kuomintang regime led by Chiang Kai-shek and later Chiang Ching-kuo. Ma attended National Taiwan University where he studied law alongside contemporaries connected to the Judicial Yuan and future figures in the Legislative Yuan and Executive Yuan. He pursued graduate legal studies at New York University School of Law earning a Master of Laws, followed by a Doctor of Juridical Science at Harvard Law School, interacting with scholars from Yale Law School and Columbia Law School during his studies and building connections to American Bar Association networks.

Legal and academic career

After returning to Taiwan, Ma taught at National Chengchi University and National Taiwan University law faculties and served as a prosecutor in the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, prosecuting cases involving entities linked to the Taiwan Garrison Command era. He held posts as Minister without Portfolio and Minister of the Ministry of Justice where he pursued reforms influenced by comparative precedents from the United States Department of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. Ma's academic publications engaged with jurisprudence from the International Court of Justice, constitutional issues before the Constitutional Court (Taiwan), and legal scholarship resonant with trends at Harvard University and Oxford University.

Political rise and Kuomintang leadership

Ma entered partisan politics within the Kuomintang and later served as Mayor of Taipei from 1998 to 2006, succeeding Chen Shui-bian's political opponents and managing municipally significant projects akin to those in Seoul or Tokyo. Elected KMT chairman in 2005, he navigated factional contests involving figures like Liu Chao-shiuan, Eric Chu, and Lien Chan, and engaged with international actors including representatives from the United States, Japan, and European Union delegations. His mayoralty featured interactions with corporations such as Taiwan High Speed Rail stakeholders and urban planners influenced by models from Singapore and Hong Kong. The KMT leadership contests tied to historical legacies of Chiang Kai-shek and cross-strait strategy debates involving the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait shaped his ascendancy to the presidential nomination.

Presidency (2008–2016)

Ma was elected President in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, defeating opponents from the Democratic Progressive Party such as Frank Hsieh and Tsai Ing-wen respectively, while campaigning against platforms from the New Power Party and civic movements linked to Sunflower Student Movement precursors. His administration formed cabinets including premiers from the KMT and technocrats connected to institutions like the Council for Economic Planning and Development and the Executive Yuan. Internationally, his presidency engaged with leaders such as Hu Jintao, Xi Jinping, Barack Obama, Shinzo Abe, and representatives from the European Union and ASEAN. Major policy initiatives included the negotiation of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) precursors, infrastructure projects comparable to initiatives in South Korea and Singapore, and participation in forums alongside delegations from United States think tanks and policy institutes.

Cross-strait relations and policies

Ma prioritized rapprochement with the People's Republic of China through frameworks involving the Straits Exchange Foundation and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, culminating in high-profile meetings with Xi Jinping in 2015 and earlier contacts with Hu Jintao-era envoys. His administration advanced trade and transport linkages including direct flights and shipping agreements modeled after bilateral accords between United Kingdom and European Union partners, and pursued the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement which provoked domestic opposition from civic groups influenced by networks tied to Sunflower Student Movement activists and legislators in the Legislative Yuan. Critics compared his policy trajectory to historical rapprochements such as the Nixon visit to China and agreements like the Shanghai Communiqué while supporters invoked economic integration patterns seen in the European Economic Community.

Domestic policies and governance

Domestically, Ma's government implemented tax reforms, infrastructure investments, and initiatives aimed at improving ties with markets in China, United States, and Japan including measures to attract foreign direct investment akin to strategies used by Singapore and South Korea. His administration faced protests from organized movements including the Wild Strawberry student movement and the Sunflower Student Movement against legislative procedures and transparency, involving legislators from the Legislative Yuan and civil society groups affiliated with NGOs and university networks. Ma's judiciary appointments and legal reforms intersected with the Judicial Yuan and watchdogs such as the Control Yuan, while debates over energy policy referenced incidents like the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and policy choices with parallels to debates in Germany and Japan.

Post-presidential activities and legacy

After leaving office, Ma remained active in public life, delivering lectures at institutions such as Harvard University, National Taiwan University, and international think tanks including the Council on Foreign Relations and the Brookings Institution, and undertaking visits to cities like New York, Beijing, and London. He published writings on cross-strait relations and East Asian policy resonant with analyses from scholars at Stanford University, Princeton University, and London School of Economics. Ma's legacy is contested: supporters cite increased economic ties with the People's Republic of China and stability comparable to post-conflict reconciliations like the Good Friday Agreement, while critics highlight mass protests and concerns raised by figures from the Democratic Progressive Party and human rights organizations. His career continues to influence debates within the Kuomintang, the Legislative Yuan, and among scholars at the Asia-Pacific Foundation and regional universities.

Category:Presidents of the Republic of China Category:Kuomintang politicians Category:1950 births Category:Living people