President
Republic of China
(12th-term)
Ma Ying-jeou was born in the former British colony of Hong Kong on July 13, 1950, and moved to Taiwan with his family when he was one year old. After graduating from National Taiwan University in 1972 with a law degree, he went to the United States in 1974 for further education, returning to Taiwan in 1981 with an LL.M. degree from New York University and an S.J.D degree from Harvard Law School.
Ma's first position in public office was as deputy director of the First Bureau of the Presidential Office. During his term between 1981 and 1988, Ma served as an English interpreter and assistant to the late President Chiang Ching-kuo. In 1988, the Kuomintang politician was assigned to be minister of the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission under the Executive Yuan, and in 1991, he became deputy minister of the Mainland Affairs Council.
Two years later, Ma was appointed justice minister, the youngest-ever in the history of the ROC government. Efforts to fight corruption won the rising political star many accolades. In 1996, he was reassigned to the post of minister without portfolio, but resigned less than a year later. He then joined the faculty at National Chengchi University as an associate professor to teach law.
Ma returned to the political arena in 1998 to run in the Taipei City mayoral election against Chen Shui-bian, who was the incumbent mayor at that time. Ma won the contest, as well as his bid for re-election in 2002. During his eight years as mayor of the capital, Ma focused on information-technology infrastructure projects, such as a wireless Internet network and an online property-management system. In addition, the popular mayor initiated construction of the Taipei Neihu Technology Park and established the Family and Sexual Violence Protection Center.
After Chen's 2004 presidential election victory, Ma urged supporters of KMT's Lien Chan and People First Party Chairman James Soong to end their protests outside the Presidential Office about alleged campaign irregularities. Known for his integrity and party loyalty, Ma insisted that demonstrations must be held in accordance with the law.
In 2005, the political heavyweight was elected to the position of KMT chairman after serving as vice chairman for two years. His leadership was consolidated after the party won a resounding victory in the election for mayors and magistrates in December that year. Of the 23 positions up for grabs, the KMT won 14 posts, almost triple the DPP's tally of six.
Ma's image and reputation was threatened last February when he was indicted for allegedly embezzling special allowances during his stint as mayor of Taipei. Insisting on his innocence, Ma resigned as party chairman and vowed to run for the presidency. Subsequent trials have cleared Ma of all charges.
In June 2007, Ma invited Vincent Siew to be his running partner in the 2008 presidential election and started to publicize their roadmap for the island's future. In the months leading up to the election, Ma traveled around Taiwan and stayed in people's homes listening to voices from every corner of society. Ma and Siew won the March 22 election by taking 58.45 percent of all valid votes.
Ma is married and has two daughters. He is known for being a keen jogger, swimmer and triathlete. The president speaks fluent Mandarin and English, as well as a little Hakka and Hokkien.
Vincent Siew
Vice President
Republic of China
(12th-term)
Vincent Siew was born in Chiayi City in southern Taiwan Jan. 3, 1939. His constant smile has earned him the nickname "Smiling Siew." He graduated from the Department of Diplomacy at National Chengchi University (NCCU) in 1961, going on to earn a master's degree in international law and diplomacy in 1965.
Siew began his civil service career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1962, while still studying for his graduate degree. From 1966 to 1972, he served as vice consul and consul at the Republic of China's consulate-general in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He then returned to Taiwan and joined the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 1974, where he was eventually promoted to the position of director-general in 1982. While working at the BOFT, Siew was in charge of trade negotiations between Taiwan and the United States.
Between 1988 and 1995, Siew served as deputy minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, and later as minister of the MOEA, the CEPD and the Mainland Affairs Council. While serving in these posts, he strived to promote Taiwan in the international community by pushing for its membership in the World Trade Organization and multilateral exchanges when attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in 1993 and 1994. In addition, he was a vocal supporter of major infrastructure projects, including the placement of Taipei City's railway lines underground, and the expansion of Kaohsiung International Airport to facilitate cross-strait trade and investment.
Siew was elected a member of the Legislative Yuan in 1996. In 1997, he was appointed premier by former President Lee Teng-hui. He was the first premier to have been born in Taiwan. Siew set law and order, economic development, quality of life, culture and education, cross-strait relations and national security as his administration's six primary focuses. Under his stewardship, Taiwan's economy remained stable during the East Asian financial crisis that gripped much of Asia between 1997 and 1998.
The political veteran was selected as the KMT vice-presidential candidate in the 2000 election, running alongside presidential candidate Lien Chan. After failing to win the vice presidency, Siew took on teaching positions at NCCU and Fu-Jen Catholic University. In 2001, he started to advocate economic integration with China and founded the Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation. Both sides of the Taiwan Strait should overcome political and economic impasses and follow the example of the European Union, Siew suggested, with the aim of normalizing economic and trade relations. In that way, both Taiwan and China could be more competitive in the emerging global economy.
In 2002, Siew became president of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research. He also served as chief economic advisor to President Chen Shui-bian between 2003 and 2004.
While attending the Boao Forum for Asia in April this year, Siew met with PRC President Hu Jintao. The event was considered a milestone, as Siew was Taiwan's highest-ranking elected official to have met a Chinese leader since 1949. Siew proposed that Taipei and Beijing "face the reality, create the future, put aside their differences and aim for a win-win situation."
Siew is married and has three daughters.
Write to Amber Wu at amber0207@mail.gio.gov.tw