Free Republic

TAIPEI, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou on Monday said that he will not promote "Two Chinas," "one China, one Taiwan" or "Taiwan independence," inside or outside the island. Ma, also chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, made the comments during a speech at a KMT meeting. He said the relationship between Taiwan and the mainland is not a state-to-state one but a special relationship in many aspects. In his speech, Ma reviewed the KMT's efforts over the last five years since the party returned to power. He described them as "beneficial and tangible for the public in...

VATICAN CITY: President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan met with Pope Francis in St Peter's Basilica on Tuesday in a first taste for the new pontiff of a long-running dispute that pits the island against its giant neighbour China. China has called on the Vatican to cut diplomatic relations with Taiwan, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Sunday saying the Vatican should "recognise the Chinese government as the sole legal representative of all China." The Holy See is one of only 23 states in the world that recognise Taipei instead of Beijing. Hua also said China hoped Francis would "take...

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan's president won re-election Saturday, paving the way for a continuation of the China-friendly policies that have delighted Beijing and Washington, and caused consternation among some in Taiwan worried about the durability of their de facto independence. With about 99 percent of the vote counted, the official Central Election Commission said President Ma Ying-jeou had garnered 51.6 percent of the total against 45.6 percent for Tsai Ing-wen of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party. A third candidate, James Soong, once a heavyweight with Ma's Nationalist Party, had 2.8 percent. Ma's Nationalist Party also retained control of...

President Ma Ying-jeou presided Tuesday over the unusually public test firing of 19 surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, but about a quarter missed their targets, earning his dismay and raising new questions about Taiwan's readiness to defend itself against Chinese attack. The exercise followed last week's successful test flight of China's next generation J-20 stealth aircraft, a system expected to further widen its growing edge over Taiwan's own equipment-starved air force. Ma's presence at the base in southern Taiwan where the missile test was conducted was meant to underscore his commitment to the maintenance of an effective Taiwanese deterrent, but the...

The U.S. is considering an ROC request to purchase 66 F-16 C/D jet fighters, according to Legislative President Wang Jin-pyng June 3. Wang said American Institute in Taiwan Chairman Raymond F. Burghardt, who arrived on the island this week, told him Washington is giving the matter its “utmost consideration.” Burghardt is visiting Taiwan to discuss economic and defense issues with President Ma Ying-jeou, Vice President Vincent C. Siew, Premier Wu Den-yih and Wang, as well as Kuomintang and Democratic Progressive Party officials. Wang said Burghardt expressed concern about whether the budget for the arms deal with the U.S. would meet...

TAIPEI: Taiwan's new President, Ma Ying-jeou, wants to improve ties with the US and do arms deals to bolster the island's military capacity, he said in his inauguration address yesterday. Washington has long been Taiwan's main arms supplier, despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. "We will strengthen bilateral relations with the US, our foremost security ally and trading partner," Mr Ma said after swearing the oath of office. "On top of that, we will rationalise our defence budget and acquire the necessary weaponry to form a solid national defence force." Taiwan asked to buy 66 F-16...

Following its lopsided victory in the legislative elections of Jan. 12, Taiwan's Nationalist Party (or Kuomintang) has nailed down control of that vital island by electing its candidate as president of the Republic of China for a four-year term. This has been hailed in some American quarters as a victory for those who favor an accommodation between Taiwan and Beijing, but don't be deceived. The Kuomintang was Sun Yat-sen's party, which lost control of the mainland to the communists in 1949 but has maintained itself on the staunchly independent island of Taiwan ever since. Eight years ago, it lost control...

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has welcomed the election of a new leader for Taiwan's main opposition party who rules out independence for the island. A day after the Nationalist Party chose Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou as its new chairman, Chinese President Hu Jintao said he looked forward to his Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Nationalists promoting links between the island and the mainland. The Nationalist Party (KMT) favors closer relations across the Taiwan Strait, in contrast to the pro-independence stance of President Chen Shui-bian's Democratic Progressive Party. The KMT once ruled all of China before losing a civil war...

Taiwan's largest opposition party, which favours closer ties with China, has elected Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou as its new leader. He beat legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng to take over as head of the nationalist Kuomintang party (KMT). Ma - whose family are from mainland China - is said to be reformist and incorruptible, correspondents say. The election was the KMT's first leadership contest since the party's creation some 110 years ago. The party, which governed Taiwan for more than half a century until 2000, is hoping that the 55-year-old mayor, who was educated at Harvard, will reinvigorate the party following...

BEIJING, Apr. 3 -- Taipei's popular mayor Ma Ying-jeou announced his bid for the leadership of Nationalist Party on Sunday. Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou cheers the audience as he formally announces his bid for the leadership of Nationalist Party on Sunday. Ma Ying-jeou was cheered by about 3,000 supporters as he promised to reform the 109-year-old Nationalist Party. The opposition hopes the handsome, articulate and savvy Ma will pump new life into the Nationalists. "We need to stabilize relations with the Chinese Mainland because they affect our economy, our foreign and domestic policies," the 54-year-old Ma told supporters.