Fair Evaluation of Ma Ying-jeou’s Presidency
Editor’s Note: This article shares commentary from pundit Chen Wen-hsi regarding former President Ma Ying-jeou’s record. Rather than speculation, evaluating leaders requires examining what they actually accomplished.
A professor once told me: Political figures shouldn’t be judged while in office. Only after leaving office—sometimes years later—can their true contributions emerge.
The editorial team particularly recalls former President Chen Shui-bian’s constant ribbon-cutting media appearances, lacking long-term project planning. Without sustained planning, what ribbons existed to cut? Infrastructure requires years of implementation before yielding results.
The “Build More, Criticized More” Phenomenon
Looking back at Ma’s seven-year presidency, did anyone cut ribbons for previous administration projects? Instead, numerous policies faced harsh criticism.
Everyone appreciates projects improving quality of life, but who enjoys the construction period? This explains why: doing more yields more criticism, while ribbon-cutting yields applause. Most office managers are charming incompetents while actual workers remain invisible.
As one lawyer said: “When tide recedes, exposed rear ends reveal truth.”
Ma Ying-jeou’s Major Accomplishments
Despite ability, Ma faced constant mischaracterization as incompetent. His achievements include:
1. Taiwan-Japan Fisheries Agreement
After 16 years of failed negotiations, Ma succeeded. If this represents failure, predecessors were “super-incompetent.”
2. Visa-Free Entry Expansion
Achieved visa exemptions from 100+ countries—raising Taiwanese citizens’ international status. If this represents failure, predecessors were “super-incompetent.”
3. National Defense Strengthening
- Multiple new coast guard vessels (Tainan, Taipei, Yilan, Kaohsiung, and patrol boats)
- All domestically constructed
- 20-30 additional vessels in construction
- Navy fleet expansion (Panshi, Anji class)
- Advanced weapons (Xiongfeng III, Xiongfeng II E, Wan Chien missiles)
- Genuine defensive capability development
If this represents failure, accusations of “selling out” ring hollow.
4. Judicial Reform
Implemented public case assignment system at Supreme Court despite judicial resistance—advancing procedural justice.
5. International Participation Recovery
- Rejoined World Health Assembly
- Returned to International Civil Aviation Organization
- Expanded international space (though sovereignty issues persist)
6. Economic Partnerships
- Trade agreements with non-diplomatic allies Singapore and New Zealand
- Further opportunities dependent on goods trade completion
- Regional economic integration advancement
7. International Airport Renaissance
Restored Songshan Airport as East Asian hub—enabling direct flights to mainland China, Japan, and South Korea.
8. Local Government Fiscal Support
- 8-year (Ma’s predecessor): NT$3.219 trillion
- 8-year (Ma’s administration): NT$3.395 trillion
- 41% increase in per-capita allocation
9. Judicial Wrongful Conviction Reform
Resolved the Chiang Kuo-ching case from 1996—a case left unresolved under both Li Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian oversight.
10. Tourism Development
Enabled mainland Chinese independent travel, significantly expanding tourism industry growth.
11. Diplomatic Recognition
131 countries granted visa exemptions or landing visas to Republic of China passport holders by October 2013.
Comparative Context: Previous Administration Problems
The previous DPP administration:
- 2005: Premier Xie Changte initiated water diversion project
- 2006: Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen pressured dynamite blasting—later contributing to Typhoon Morakot devastation
- 2009: DPP legislator opposed banning plasticizers (family held petrochemicals interest)
- 2007: Previous government approved ractopamine beef through WTO
The Essential Conclusion
Ma accomplished far more within six years than commonly acknowledged. Claiming incompetence while ignoring documented achievements represents willful blindness.
Compare: One builds visibly but faces criticism during construction. Another conducts ribbon-cuttings amid acclaim. Which demonstrates genuine development?
Gratitude and Perspective
Societal habit of remembering failures while forgetting kindness matters profoundly. When someone sacrifices efforts on your behalf, denying their contribution undermines genuine future engagement.
Taiwan’s choice between focusing on actual accomplishments versus partisan blame will define whether meaningful progress continues.
The full text of Wen-hsi Chen’s original piece follows for careful reflection.