Ma Ying-jeou is the current President of the Republic of China and a Taiwanese politician (Taiwan). Ma was born into a politically active family and joined the Kuomintang (KMT) Party at a young age. When he was roughly 31 years old, he was elected to the party’s Central Committee. President Chiang Ching-kuo soon recognized him and appointed him as the President’s Secretary and English interpreter. He was able to roam around in the highest circle and see many historical events up close and personal as a result of his position. His new approach, relatively calm demeanor, and academic background, on the other hand, have all played a role in shaping his image. Indeed, he is regarded as a trustworthy and upright individual who has repeatedly promised to deliver a corruption-free government that will seek to revitalize Taiwan’s economy. He prefers to keep the status quo of ‘No Unification, No Independence, and No Use of Force’ in his relations with mainland China. Instead, he is working hard to improve relations with mainland China across the Taiwan Strait.
Early on in your career
Ma began teaching law at National Taiwan University after returning to Taiwan in 1981. Simultaneously, he was appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the KMT Central Committee.
Ma was quickly promoted to Deputy Director of the Presidential Office’s First Bureau under President Chiang Ching-kuo. He was the President’s secretary as well as his English interpreter in this role.
Taiwan was still under martial law at the time. Ma was tasked in 1986 with looking into the potential of repealing the law and restructuring the country’s parliamentary structure. He was also asked if it was conceivable for Taiwanese nationals to visit their relatives on the mainland.
Ma was appointed Minister of Research, Development, and Evaluation in July 1988 and served until June 1991. Simultaneously, he was tasked with forming the Mainland Affairs Task Force. He later rose through the ranks to become the organization’s executive secretary. In 1991, he was elected Vice Chairperson of the Mainland Affairs Council.
Ma was named Minister of Justice in 1993. He went on a war against organized crime, corruption, and drugs right away. He also improved prison conditions and launched investigations into allegations of vote-buying. He held this position until 1996.
Ma was designated minister without portfolio in 1996. In May 1997, he resigned from the position and accepted a position as a law professor at National Chengchi University’s College of Law. He did not, however, abandon his political ambitions.
A Taipei’s Mayor
Ma Ying-jeou decided to run for mayor of Taipei in the 1998 election. It was a closely contested election because incumbent mayor Chen Shui-bian had a high popular approval rating. In the end, Ma, whose campaign was built on new ideas and a fresh perspective, received 51.13 percent of the vote and was declared the winner.
Ma also won the 2002 mayoral election and was re-elected for a second term. Thus, he served as Mayor of Taipei from 1998 to 2006, during which time he converted the city into a world-class global metropolis.
Ma Ying-jeou ran for Chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in 2005. During his candidacy, he called for both social and organizational reform inside the party. His youthful viewpoints drew the attention of the younger generation. He eventually won a landslide victory in the election and was elected Chairman of the KMT.
In late 2006, it was claimed that as Mayor of Taipei, Ma had siphoned a considerable sum of government funds into his personal account using his discretionary power. In May 2007, he was formally charged with the crime. Ma reacted by resigning from both the chairmanship of the KMT Party and his position as Mayor of Taipei.
Simultaneously, he announced that he would run for president in the 2008 election. He was eventually found not guilty by the country’s top court. According to public opinion polls, 70% of residents believe he is innocent.
As a President
During his presidential campaign, Ma Ying-jeou rode his bicycle to thousands of villages and towns. During these trips, he lived with ordinary people and listened to their opinions. The outcomes of such a personal and positive campaign were as expected.
He won the Presidential election with 58 percent of the vote on March 22, 2008, and was sworn in as Taiwan’s 12th President on May 22. Ma promised in his inaugural speech to establish a clean government and to remove rules so that the country’s economy might flourish.
Ma faced numerous problems during his first term as President of Taiwan, many of which originated outside the country’s borders. Despite this, he worked tirelessly toward his aim of improving the country’s economic situation, and by 2010, the country had enjoyed a 10% increase in GDP.
During this time, relations with mainland China strengthened as well; the two countries were now connected by air and sea. A mail service was also created between the two. His major purpose, though, was to ensure that his country’s sovereignty was preserved.
Ma Ying-jeou stood for the Chairmanship of the KMT Party again a year after winning the presidential election. He was elected on June 25, 2009, and was sworn in on September 12, the same year.
Ma ran for President for a second term in 2012 and was elected with 51.6 percent of the vote. His campaign was built around his administrative experience. He also pledged to fight corruption and strengthen connections with mainland China.
On May 20, 2012, Ma was sworn in as Taiwan’s 13th President. Ma emphasized in his inaugural speech that the country must undergo total transformation in order to develop. He stated that the constitution was supreme and that actions would be made in accordance with its directives when it came to the country’s relationship with mainland China.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1977, Ma Ying-jeou married Chow Mei-ching in New York. She returned to Taiwan and began working at Mega International Commercial Bank. When Ma became President, she resigned the post to avoid a conflict of interest. Lesley (Ma Wei-chung) and Kelly are the couple’s two daughters (Ma Yuan-chung).
Estimated Net Worth
Ma Ying-jeou is one of the wealthiest and most well-known formers. Ma Ying-net jeou’s worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
Mrs. Ma worked as a maître d’hôtel at a Chinese restaurant, a research assistant, and an assistant librarian to help support Ma’s studies at Harvard School of Law.
Through World Vision, the Ma Ying-jeou family sponsors children from low-income families in El Salvador.