Ma Ying-jeou facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ma Ying-jeou
馬英九
Official portrait, 2008
6th President of the Republic of China
In office 20 May 2008 – 20 May 2016
Premier	Liu Chao-shiuan Wu Den-yih Sean Chen Jiang Yi-huah Mao Chi-kuo Chang San-cheng
Vice President	Vincent Siew Wu Den-yih
Preceded by	Chen Shui-bian
Succeeded by	Tsai Ing-wen
4th & 6th Chairman of the Kuomintang
In office 17 October 2009 – 3 December 2014
Preceded by	Wu Po-hsiung
Succeeded by	Wu Den-yih (acting)
In office 27 July 2005 – 13 February 2007
Preceded by	Lien Chan
Succeeded by	Wu Po-hsiung (interim)
11th Mayor of Taipei
In office 25 December 1998 – 25 December 2006
Deputy	King Pu-tsung
Preceded by	Chen Shui-bian
Succeeded by	Hau Lung-pin
Ministerial offices Minister of Justice In office 27 February 1993 – 10 June 1996 Premier Lien Chan Preceded by Lu Yu-wen Succeeded by Liao Cheng-hao Minister of Research, Development and Evaluation In office 27 July 1988 – 27 June 1991 Premier Yu Kuo-hwa Lee Huan Hau Pei-tsun Deputy Sun Te-hsiung Preceded by Wei Yung Succeeded by Sun Te-hsiung
Personal details
Born	(1950-07-13) 13 July 1950 (age 75) Kowloon, Hong Kong
Political party	Kuomintang
Spouse	Christine Chow ​ (m. 1977)​
Relations	Ma Chao (ancestor) Gene Yu (nephew)
Children	2, including Lesley
Education	National Taiwan University (LLB) New York University (LLM) Harvard University (SJD)
Scientific career
Fields	International law
Thesis	Legal Problems of Seabed Boundaries and Foreign Investment in the East China Sea (1981)
Doctoral advisor	Louis B. Sohn Detlev F. Vagts
Military career
Allegiance	Republic of China
Service/branch	ROC Navy Marine Corps
Years of service	1972–1974
Rank	Lieutenant
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	馬英九
Simplified Chinese	马英九
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Mǎ Yīngjiǔ Bopomofo ㄇㄚˇ ㄧㄥ ㄐㄧㄡˇ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Maa Ingjeou Wade–Giles Ma3 Ying1-chiu3 Tongyong Pinyin Mǎ Ying-jiǒu IPA [mà íŋ.tɕi̯òu̯] Wu Romanization Mo2 In1cieu2 Hakka Romanization Mâ Yîn-kiú Yue: Cantonese IPA [ma̬ː jéŋ kɐ̌u] Jyutping maa5 jing1 gau2 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Má Eng-kiú

Ma Ying-jeou (born July 13, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and lawyer. He served as the sixth president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2008 to 2016. Before becoming president, he was the mayor of Taipei, Taiwan's capital city, from 1998 to 2006. He was also the chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), a major political party in Taiwan.

Ma was born in Hong Kong, and his family moved to Taiwan when he was a baby. He studied law at National Taiwan University and later earned advanced law degrees from New York University and Harvard University in the United States.

As president, Ma focused on improving the relationship between Taiwan and mainland China. This included starting direct flights and signing a major trade agreement. He met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2015, which was the first meeting between the leaders of the two sides since 1949. After his presidency, Ma became a law professor and has remained active in politics.

Early Life and Schooling

Ma as an infant

Ma Ying-jeou was born in Hong Kong on July 13, 1950. His family came from a long line of respected figures, and his ancestor was even a famous general named Ma Chao from the Three Kingdoms period of China. When Ma was one year old, his family moved to Taiwan.

His father encouraged him to study hard, practice Chinese calligraphy, and be good at sports. In high school, Ma decided he wanted to study law. He did very well on his exams and went to National Taiwan University (NTU) to study law.

Ma's 1972 National Taiwan University graduation photo

At NTU, Ma was a student leader. In 1972, he graduated with a law degree. After graduation, he served in the Republic of China Marine Corps for two years. He then won a scholarship to study in the United States.

Ma earned a Master of Laws degree from New York University in 1976. He then went to Harvard Law School, where he earned his Doctor of Juridical Science degree, which is the most advanced law degree, in 1981. His teachers at Harvard remembered him as a "brilliant student."

Starting His Political Career

Ma studied at Harvard Law School (pictured in 2024), where he earned his doctorate in law in 1981.

After finishing his studies, Ma returned to Taiwan in 1981. President Chiang Ching-kuo was impressed by him and appointed Ma as his personal English translator. Ma also taught law at National Chengchi University.

At age 38, he became the youngest cabinet member ever when he was appointed chairman of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission. Later, he was appointed Minister of Justice in 1993. As minister, he became famous for his strong stance against corruption. He worked hard to make sure government officials were honest, which earned him the nickname "Mr. Clean."

His tough policies were not popular with everyone in his party, and he left the position in 1996. He returned to teaching at National Chengchi University. Even after leaving office, he remained one of the most popular politicians in Taiwan.

Mayor of Taipei (1998–2006)

Mayor Ma at the 2006 Taipei Marathon.

In 1998, the Kuomintang (KMT) party asked the popular Ma to run for mayor of Taipei. He ran with the slogan "Taiwan First, Taipei First" and promised to make Taipei a "world-class city." He won the election and became the mayor of Taiwan's capital.

During his time as mayor, Ma was known for being loyal to his party. He was easily re-elected in 2002 with 64% of the vote. As mayor, he made changes to the city, such as updating the names of streets and Taipei Metro stations.

In 2005, while still mayor, Ma was elected chairman of the KMT party. He led the party to a big victory in local elections later that year.

Path to the Presidency

Ma Ying-jeou during a visit to the United States in March 2006.

As his time as mayor was ending, Ma faced some political challenges. He was questioned about how he used a special expense account while he was mayor. Ma said he had followed the rules and that the money was used for public benefit.

In February 2007, he was officially charged, but he maintained his innocence. He resigned as KMT chairman but announced that he would still run for president in the 2008 election. The courts later found him not guilty of all charges, clearing his name before he became president.

Ma campaigning in 2007 at Shilin Night Market.

Ma Ying-jeou campaigning for the 2008 presidential election.

Ma was officially nominated as the KMT's candidate for president in May 2007. He chose former premier Vincent Siew as his running mate. During the campaign, his opponents questioned his loyalty to Taiwan because he was born in Hong Kong and some of his family members were U.S. citizens. Ma stated that he was fully committed to Taiwan.

On March 22, 2008, Ma won the presidential election with 58% of the vote, ending eight years of rule by the rival Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Presidency (2008–2016)

Marshall Islands' President Christopher Loeak visiting Ma at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

Ma Ying-jeou took office as president on May 20, 2008. He was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people that year. His presidency focused on two main areas: improving relations with mainland China and strengthening Taiwan's economy.

Improving Relations with Mainland China

One of Ma's biggest goals was to create better "cross-strait relations," which means the relationship between Taiwan and mainland China. He promised "no reunification, no independence, and no use of force."

Under his leadership, talks between Taiwan and mainland China started again. This led to several important changes:

• Direct Links: For the first time in almost 60 years, direct flights, shipping, and mail services began between Taiwan and mainland China in 2008.
• Tourism: Taiwan was opened to tourists from mainland China.
• Trade Agreement: In 2010, Taiwan and China signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), a major trade deal designed to lower taxes on goods and boost the economy.

Ma Ying-jeou meeting with mainland China's leader Xi Jinping in November 2015.

The most historic moment of his presidency came on November 7, 2015. Ma met with Xi Jinping, the leader of mainland China, in Singapore. It was the first time the leaders of the two sides had met since 1949.

Economic and Other Challenges

President Ma with Vice President Vincent Siew (left) and Premier Wu Den-yih (right).

When Ma became president, the world was facing a major economic crisis. Taiwan's economy struggled, and many companies faced difficulties. Ma's government introduced a large economic stimulus package to help businesses and create jobs. The economy began to recover and grew strongly in 2010.

In 2009, Taiwan was hit by Typhoon Morakot, one of the worst storms in its history. Ma's government was criticized for its slow response to the disaster. He later apologized and made changes to his government team.

Ma was re-elected in 2012, defeating DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen. In his second term, he faced protests from student groups, known as the Sunflower Student Movement, over a trade deal with China. His party lost a lot of support in the 2014 local elections, and he resigned as KMT chairman.

Life After the Presidency

Ma meeting with U.S. Senator Cory Gardner during a 2017 visit to the United States.

After leaving office in 2016, Ma did not retire from public life. He became a law lecturer at Soochow University, teaching students about Taiwan's history and law.

He also started the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation in 2018. The foundation's goal is to help find the right path for Taiwan's future and support young people.

Ma paying respects at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, March 2023.

In 2023, Ma made a historic trip to mainland China, becoming the first former or current Taiwanese leader to visit since 1949. He said he hoped his visit would promote peace. He has visited China several times since then, meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping again in 2024.

Political Views

Ma Ying-jeou speaking about the importance of the 1992 Consensus.

Ma's political views are centered on maintaining a stable and peaceful relationship between Taiwan and mainland China.

• Cross-Strait Relations: He believes that talks between the two sides should be based on the "1992 Consensus," an understanding that both sides agree there is "one China" but can have different ideas about what that means. He describes the relationship as "special" but not one between two separate countries.
• The Five Noes: To keep things stable, Ma proposed a policy of "no unification, no independence, no use of force." This means he did not want to formally unite with China or declare Taiwan an independent country, and he wanted to avoid conflict.
• Peace Initiatives: Ma proposed peace plans for the East China Sea and South China Sea, areas where several countries have disagreements. He called for everyone to work together peacefully and share resources.

Personal Life

President Ma and his wife, Chow Mei-ching, during a visit in 2009.

Ma married Christine Chow in 1977. They have two daughters, Lesley and Yuan-chung. Lesley studied at Harvard University and New York University, while Yuan-chung studied at the London School of Economics.

Ma and his wife are known for their charity work. They sponsor low-income children in El Salvador through World Vision International. Ma is also the uncle of Gene Yu, a former U.S. Army Special Forces captain who helped rescue a Taiwanese citizen in 2013.

Honours

•  Belize:
  • Order of Belize
•  Burkina Faso:
  • Grand Cross of the Ordre de l'Étalon [fr], formerly National Order of Burkina Faso (2012)
•  Dominican Republic:
  • Grand Cross with Gold Breast Star of the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella (2015)
•  El Salvador:
  • Grand Cross with Gold Star of the National Order of Doctor José Matías Delgado (2014)
•  Eswatini:
  • Collar of the Royal Order of the Crown (2012)
•  Gambia:
  • Honorary Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia (2012)
•  Guatemala:
  • Grand Collar of the Order of the Quetzal
•  Haiti:
  • Grand Cross of the National Order of Honour and Merit (2014)
•  Marshall Islands:
  • Traditional Paramount Leader Medal (2013)
•  Saint Kitts and Nevis:
  • Collar of the Order of St Christopher and Nevis (2011)
•  SMOM:
  • Collar pro Merito Melitensi (2015)

See also

In Spanish: Ma Ying-jeou para niños

• Politics of the Republic of China