Ma Ying-Jeou

Claims By SCMP That Ma Can Run For A Third Presidential Term Are Ludicrous

Brian Hioe
A recent article in the South China Morning Post by Lawrence Chung has provoked ire, with its bizarre suggestion that former president Ma Ying-Jeou pursue the Taiwanese presidency for a third term. Indeed, the factual errors and implausible speculations of this article only go to show how much the South China Morning Post has deteriorated as a publication, in becoming little more than a propaganda organ for China...
EnglishMay 2018Politics8 min read

Four Referendum Campaigns Launched In The Two Months After Changes To Referendum Act

Brian Hioe
Amending the so-called “Birdcage Referendum Act” has long been a demand of Taiwanese activists. In particular, holding a nationwide referendum was seen as a way to settle long-standing domestic issues in Taiwanese politics, such as with regards to the usage of nuclear energy in Taiwan, as well as the fundamental issue of independence versus unification, which goes to the heart of Taiwan’s unique political situation in global politics. It may not be too surprising, then, that calls for referendum have now become an object of political contestation on a number of issues. At least four campaigns for referendum are now under way in Taiwan that have been launched in the two months since changes to the Referendum Act in December of last year...
EnglishFebruary 2018Politics11 min read

Green Terror Accusations Nothing More Than Outright Denial Of White Terror

Brian Hioe
Accusations by the KMT that the DPP is instituting a “Green Terror” of political persecution against the pan-Blue camp that is equal to or worse than the White Terror perpetrated by the KMT during the authoritarian period are groundless and ridiculous. Such accusations are ultimately a form of historical denial, but they may gain traction due to historical amnesia in "post-fact" times...
December 2017EnglishPolitics7 min read

Charges Facing Ma Ying-Jeou Complicated By New Party Scandal

Brian Hioe
Former president Ma Ying-Jeou of the KMT, who saw the eruption of the Sunflower Movement against his policies aimed at directing the unification of Taiwan and China under his term, continues to come under fire for actions that took place during his presidency. In particular, Ma is currently facing lawsuits regarding the underselling of former state-owned enterprises and former KMT party assets. But this has been complicated by the recent scandal regarding the detention of high-profile New Party members...
December 2017EnglishSocial MovementsYouth Movements8 min read

Despite Occurring Under Ma Administration, KMT Attempts To Pin Ching Fu Scandal On DPP

Brian Hioe
The Ching Fu scandal continues to unfold, regarding the suspicious circumstances in which a 35.8 billion NTD contract was awarded to the Ching Fu Corporation to construct minesweepers for the navy, something it later proved unable to do. The KMT has taken the unusual tactic of trying to pin a scandal that occurred under Ma Ying-Jeou onto the DPP, however...
EnglishNovember 2017Politics6 min read

Ching Fu Scandal Has Far-Reaching Implications For Ma Administration Officials

Brian Hioe
Questions of corruption at Taiwan’s highest levels of government under the Ma administration have been raised with regards to the Ching Fu loan scandal, in which a 35.8 billion NTD contract was awarded to the Ching Fu Corporation to construct six minesweepers for the navy, as well as provided with a 20.5 billion NTD syndicated loan. However, it was announced last week that Ching Fu had defaulted upon its loan and that Ching Fu would be unable to complete the minesweeper contract, raising suspicions regarding why the contract and loan were given to Ching Fu to begin with...
EnglishNovember 2017Politics6 min read

The Taipei Dome Controversy And Issues Of Entrenched Political Corruption In Taiwan?

Brian Hioe
Controversy over the Taipei Dome continues, having dragged out at this point for years, with all members of the Taipei Dome safety review committee listed as defendants in the ongoing criminal investigation into the Taipei Dome’s construction process. The controversy is revealing of the endemic problem of political corruption in infrastructure development projects in Taiwan...
August 2017EnglishPolitics8 min read