With the election of Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan has once again demonstrated the maturity of its political processes. The successful conduct of Taiwan’s democratic elections reminds us that Taiwan is part of the growing group of states capable of undertaking peaceful elections as the means of effecting political transition and change. With his election, it is to be expected that President Ma will continue the various policies begun in his first administration, including deepening economic ties with the mainland through the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement mechanism. At the same time, it …
The Heritage Foundation’s Distinguished Fellow in China Policy Ambassador Harvey Feldman is in Taipei and has filed some great commentary on Ma Ying-jeou’s victory over Frank Hsieh Chang-ting, including: Although Ma has said he holds out hope of an ultimate unification of Taiwan with China, it can come only many years in the future, and after China has become completely democratic. In the meantime, while saying he does not favor Taiwan acquiring offensive weapons — a position shared in Washington — he wants to see a “hardened, more capable” Taiwanese …
