President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) apologized twice yesterday for failing to explain his “6-3-3” economic policy clearly, but argued that he had not broken his campaign promise as his goal of an annual per capita income of US$30,000 had always been targeted for 2016.
Ma promised to achieve the other two goals — annual GDP growth of 6 percent and an unemployment rate of less than 3 percent — by the end of his term in 2012.
“I may not have explained [the ‘6-3-3’ policy] clearly or thoroughly enough and therefore caused some misunderstanding. I want to apologize for that,” Ma said on a visit to Taipei Agriculture Products Marketing Co. “The goal of reaching annual earnings of US$30,000 was set for 2016 ... Although the economic situation is not good, we will spare no effort to achieve the other two goals during my first term.”
During an interview with Mexican daily Sol de Mexico on Aug. 26 — the Chinese transcript of which was released by the Presidential Office on Wednesday — Ma said it would be difficult to reach the goal of 6 percent GDP growth now or within the next year because of the state of the global economy.
Ma offered his second apology later in the day during a visit to Wulai Elementary School, Taipei County, and reiterated the government’s determination to improve the economy.
“The people’s pain is my pain. I feel that pain and would not want to add fuel to the fire at such a time,” he said.
The president said the plan was that annual per capita income would be raised to US$20,000 by 2011 and US$30,000 by 2016.
He said the “6-3-3” economic policy remains the same and that he would try his best to fulfill it. In response to the growing frustration with the government for failing to fulfill his campaign promise, Ma said that his administration had confidence it could revive the economy.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers were divided in their reactions to Ma’s apology.
KMT Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) said that Ma was right to apologize for the “6-3-3” pledge made during his campaign.
“Ma should apologize for making a promise he can only keep in eight years time. A responsible president should realize campaign pledges within a four-year time frame, in accordance with the term of office,” Chiu said.
KMT Legislator Chang Sho-wen (張碩文), on the other hand, praised Ma for apologizing.
“Ma spoke hastily when he said it would take him eight years to honor the ‘6-3-3’ pledge. Giving a specific time frame would only make people misunderstand him. It was, however, a good thing that he offered an apology,” Chang said.
KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) said the apology showed that Ma was sincere and that he recognized that he had made a mistake.
Ma’s presidential election rival, former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), was less forgiving.
“Ma is making honesty a joke,” he said. “When I was premier, I could hardly sleep, let alone laugh and joke as if nothing was going on. If a person has no sense of responsibility, contriteness or empathy, he should not be in that position,” Hsieh said.
“Ma is even less popular than Yasuo Fukuda [outgoing Japanese prime minister who announced his intention to step down on Monday because of his unpopularity] and [South Korean President] Lee Myung-bak. The public are suffering, investors are howling, yet Ma is completely indifferent, and his government is senseless and merciless,” DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft