Ma Ying-jeou

Ma Ying- jeou (马英九Chinese, Pinyin Mǎ Yīngjiǔ, W.-G. Ma Ying- chiu; born July 13, 1950 in Hong Kong) is a Taiwanese politician of the Kuomintang ( KMT ) and since 20 May 2008, President of the Republic of China on Taiwan.

Biography

Ma Ying- jeou was born in the then British colony of Hong Kong. His family, supporters of the Kuomintang, sat for a year after his birth from Taiwan. As civil war refugee, he is among Taiwanese as Waishengren ( " Festlandchinese "). In 1972, he graduated in law from the National Taiwan University and went with a scholarship from the KMT in the United States, where he earned a doctorate in international law at New York University and a Master's degree at Harvard University. In 1981, he returned to Taiwan.

Ma Ying- jeou is married and has two daughters, Ma Wei -chung and Ma Yuan -chung. He is an avid jogger for more than 20 years. He is fluent in English in addition to Mandarin Chinese. Taiwanese, Hakka and French he learned it.

Political career

In 1984 he became secretary ( English interpreters) of President Chiang Ching- kuo and shortly thereafter as Deputy Secretary-General of the KMT operates ( 1984-1988 ), he held a number of ministerial posts ( and Others Justice and Mainland Affairs ) in the KMT government. As Minister of Justice, he carried out many reforms, including an anti - corruption campaign in their own ranks. His reforms were soon criticized for it by the KMT, which is why he was deposed. Its popularity as " Mr. Clean " grew.

From a political opponent is said that Ma had participated in the creation of blacklists for independence supporters and lobbied for the continuation of martial law ( until 1987 ).

In 1998, he prevailed in the election for mayor of Taipei, was re-elected in 2002 and remained until 2006, in office. After that, he did not appear again for election. His successor in the mayor Hau Lung - bin (Chinese郝龙斌, Pinyin hǎo Longbin ), also a member of the KMT. On 16 July 2005, he was elected as the successor of Lien Chan as chairman of the KMT, but had to make on 13 February 2007 announcement of its own right to withdraw from this office if he would ever be accused of alleged corruption. Shortly thereafter, he declared his willingness to run for 2008 presidential election of the Republic of China.

Due to irregularities in the use of personal funds of the Mayor Ma in 2007 was formally charged, but acquitted by the Court of First Instance. On 28 December 2007 finally took place and the acquittal of the court below. Legally, the use of the money was actually viewed in a gray area on the part of the courts that brought no criminal consequences for the accused with it. This eventually brought the exculpation Mas.

Also, in the last instance, the Supreme Court decided on 24 April 2008 that Ma will be acquitted of this accusation.

First term as president

The presidential election won Ma Ying -jeou on 22 March 2008 with 58 percent of the votes, while his rival Hsieh Chang- ting could combine nearly 42 percent of the votes.

Ma said he wanted to revive Taiwan's economy stronger. Also, he wanted to relax relations with the People 's Republic of China. His vision is for a peace treaty to end the conflict ending in 1946 with the Chinese Communists. He also calls for stronger economic relations under the WTO commitments entered into by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China ( Taiwan). On the occasion of his swearing in as President on 20 May 2008 Ma stressed that he will refuse both an association with the People's Republic of China and Taiwan independence.

Second term as president

In January 2012, Ma won the presidential election with an absolute majority of votes against Tsai Ing -wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ). The result was seen as a confirmation of his policy of rapprochement with the People's Republic of China.

But the beginning of the second term Mas was difficult. After first corruption scandals of Kuomintang members in the vicinity of the President had become known, rocked in September 2013, a wiretapping scandal the public. A special investigation unit of the Justice Department had with knowledge about the president 's phone calls numerous members of the Legislative Yuan ( Parliament of the Republic of China), including the Parliament President Wang Jin- pyng bugged.

In addition, the weaker-than -expected economic growth and the desire Mas to open the Taiwanese market for service companies from the People's Republic of China aroused public protest. A public opinion research institute carried out in a representative survey in September 2013 that only 9.2 percent of the Taiwanese population were satisfied with the government of President.

Private life

Ma is, in addition to his passion for jogging, an avid golfer. With his wife and two daughters, Ma Wei -chung and Ma Yuan -chung, he spends almost every free minute on the golf course. On the birthday of the daughters of the family always sings the theme song of the Chinese version of Darkwing Duck, which was the favorite TV show of the youngest daughter. The song is called in Chinese "等 我 搞 破坏! " And literally means "Wait until I destroy something!"