Top 15 Ma Ying-jeou Quotes

We must actively engage in regional economic integration, as Taiwan is an island with few natural resources and a relatively small economy. Taiwan had signed very few free-trade agreements in the past. How can we not be in a hurry to catch up?

Traditional Chinese characters carry both cultural significance and artistic values and promoting these characters has nothing to do with any political stance. It's very important for us not to sacrifice the characters for tourism.

Not everyone understands this. But we (ROC government) have done what needed to be done, and we will keep doing so until the very end.

They (opposition) say we are selling out Taiwan and that we lost something, but they never say what exactly we have lost.

It is impossible for us to recognize (mainland China) as another nation within our (Republic of China) territory.

The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese by ethnicity. Cross-strait relations are not international relations. Each side acknowledges the existence of "one China", but maintains its own interpretation based on the 1992 Consensus.

The timing and conditions are ripe for the two sides to set up representative offices (ARATS in Taiwan and SEF in Mainland China). There are no political implications to the plan and the functions of the offices will be basically neutral.

We know that Hong Kong, after the handover to mainland China, has been trying for universal suffrage … We know that mainland China has made promises and we're of course pleased to see Hong Kong changing in this direction.

Our relationship with mainland China is very subtle. We don’t have a state-to-state relationship and we do not view mainland China as a foreign state.

In 1992, the two sides (Taiwan and Mainland China) reached a consensus that each side would verbally express their adherence to the one China principle.

Providing compensation (to the victims of White Terror) will not write off the incidents once and for all.

We have no reason to be pessimistic about the (cross-strait service trade) agreement or to be afraid of its impact. The government will try its best to minimize possible damage and maximize the business opportunities the agreement can create.

Renewable energy has its limitations and the government cannot put all its eggs in the same basket. We must develop different sources of energy, otherwise an energy crisis could result in a serious national security issue.

President Tsai will end up with a legacy of broken diplomatic relations if she keeps implementing wrongheaded policies like condemning (mainland) China without ever reflecting upon herself.

No ruling out the possibility of unification with China, no support for Taiwanese independence and no use of force.