Ma Ying-jeou

Ma Ying-jeou, a Taiwanese politician, was born on July 13, 1950, in Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong. His parents were on their way from Hunan Province to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War.

Ma Ying-jeou graduated from the Law Department of National Taiwan University in 1972.

Ma Ying-jeou received his LL.M. from New York University Law School in 1976.

In 1981, the individual was appointed as the deputy director-general of the First Bureau of the Presidential Office in Taiwan, where they later served as President Chiang Ching-kuo's English secretary, contributing to the lifting of martial law and facilitating visits between Taiwan and mainland relatives.

In 1991, the individual was appointed as the deputy minister of the Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan. They were also elected as a KMT representative at-large in the Second National Assembly, contributing to the drafting of the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China.

In 1993, the individual assumed the role of Minister of Justice in Taiwan, where they led initiatives to combat corruption, drug trafficking, organized crime, vote-buying, and implemented reforms in the prison system.

Ma Ying-jeou was elected as the Mayor of Taipei in 1998, a position he held until 2006.

In December 2002, Ma Ying-jeou won reelection as mayor of Taipei with the support of 64% of Taipei voters, solidifying his position as a leading figure in the KMT.

On 16 July 2005, Ma won against Wang Jin-pyng in the KMT chairmanship election with a significant margin, despite facing accusations of unfair implications and criticisms.

Ma Ying-jeou was questioned by prosecutors on November 14, 2006, over his alleged misuse of a special expenses account during his tenure as the mayor of Taipei.

Ma Ying-jeou was indicted by the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office on February 13, 2007, on charges of allegedly embezzling government funds for personal use while he was the mayor of Taipei.

On 14 August 2007, the Taipei District Court found Ma not guilty of corruption, stating that he viewed 'Special Expenses' as 'Special Allowance' meant for 'social spending'.

On 28 December 2007, the Taiwan High Court found Ma not guilty of graft charges, further reinforcing his innocence in corruption allegations.

Ma Ying-jeou won a landslide victory in Taiwan's presidential election, defeating Frank Hsieh of the Democratic Progressive Party by a margin of 58 to 42 percent. His victory followed a similarly resounding win for the Nationalists in Taiwan's legislative elections.

The Supreme Court cleared Ma of corruption charges on 24 April 2008, just before his inauguration, stating that he had not obtained illegal income or violated the law.

Ma Ying-jeou and Vincent C. Siew from the KMT were elected as the President and Vice President of the Republic of China (ROC), signifying the second peaceful transfer of executive power between political parties in Taiwan.

Ma Ying-jeou embarked on his first foreign trip as President, focusing on improving relations with Taiwan's Latin American allies and visiting the United States.

On September 2, 2008, Ma Ying-jeou declared that the relations between Taiwan and mainland China were a 'special relationship not between two nations', emphasizing the '1992 consensus'. He sought mutual recognition without acknowledging each other as legitimate governments.

On October 18, 2008, Ma Ying-jeou expressed his hope for a cross-strait peace accord to be reached during his term in office, aiming for improved relations between Taiwan and mainland China.

On June 19, 2009, Ma Ying-jeou clarified his stance on simplified Chinese characters during a speech at the International Conference on Internet Chinese Education. He emphasized the importance of traditional Chinese characters while supporting the recognition of simplified characters.

Ma Ying-jeou registered as the sole candidate for the election of the KMT chairman and won with 93.87% of the vote. This victory allowed Ma to represent the KMT as the leader of a Chinese political party.

Secured a second term as the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) with a significant majority of votes. Inaugurated in May 2008, marking Taiwan's second peaceful transfer of political power.

In 2012, the 13-term President of the Republic of China took office.

Ma Ying-jeou and Xi Jinping met in Singapore, marking the first meeting between leaders of Taiwan and Mainland China since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. They addressed each other using the honorific Xiansheng (Chinese: 先生, 'Mister').

Earlier in 2021, Dr. Ma Ying-jeou became the first senior Taiwan official to visit mainland China.

Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Ma expressed the belief that Taiwan and China can peacefully resolve their differences due to their shared culture and history.

Ma Ying-jeou discusses the current state of affairs between Taiwan, China, and the United States, focusing on cross-strait relations and the dynamics of U.S.-China relations.