Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
Whether Ma is guilty or not, the prosecutor has already stated his opinion and presented the evidence in the indictment, which will be reviewed by the court. It is unnecessary, therefore, to make further comment on the issue.
However, since Ma could become Taiwan's next leader, it is absolutely necessary to examine his crisis management abilities and his reaction to the indictment.
Honesty is the best policy, especially when it comes to politicians. However, judging from the contents of the indictment and Ma's statements over the past few months, he has obviously told many lies.
During the first two questioning sessions with prosecutors, Ma said he understood that the special mayoral allowance was a fund intended for public use, while in the third interrogation he changed his tune and said that it was intended for private use -- proof that he was lying.
In the past, he also said that the money was mostly spent to reward his staff, something that has also now been proven to be untrue.
The poor crisis management ability of Ma and his team has again been exposed. In the beginning, they overlooked the significance of the case, and then suddenly donated millions of dollars to charity when the situation began to spin out of control. The various excuses given show the chaotic decision-making process of his team when facing a crisis.
The rumor in political circles that Ma has no friends has been proven through the developments of the case. Many pan-blue camp legislators and pro-blue commentators have gloated over his misfortunes. Even if some intend to defend him, they do not know where to start since only Ma and a small group of top aides know the truth about how his mayoral allowance was used.
Finally, Ma's announcement of his candidacy succeeded in temporarily diverting public attention, but it has also served to highlight his disrespect for the judicial system and his attempt to resolve the problem by playing politics.
This is indeed an ironic development for someone who once served as minister of justice and who has continually stressed his trust in the judiciary and prosecutors throughout the investigation.
In short, legal and political issues should be kept separate. For the people of Taiwan, the main significance of Ma's indictment is not the final verdict. Rather, it is that it allows us to see Ma's leadership skills and personality in a new light.
Lo Chih-cheng is an associate professor in Soochow University's department of political science.
Translated by Eddy Chang
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, people have been asking if Taiwan is the next Ukraine. At a G7 meeting of national leaders in January, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned that Taiwan “could be the next Ukraine” if Chinese aggression is not checked. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that if Russia is not defeated, then “today, it’s Ukraine, tomorrow it can be Taiwan.” China does not like this rhetoric. Its diplomats ask people to stop saying “Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow.” However, the rhetoric and stated ambition of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Taiwan shows strong parallels with