Ma the Yo-Yo

Taipei mayor and chairman of the KMT, Ma Ying-Jeou, appeared on the BBC's Hardtalk program February 21st (full 22 minute video). This came during his February Euro-tour and after the printing of an ad in The Liberty Times ( a pan-green, pro-independence Taiwanese newspaper) that contained this:

The KMT firmly believes that, in keeping with the spirit of democracy, there are many options for Taiwan's future, be it reunification, independence or the status quo. It is necessary that the choice be made by the people.

Well, the KMT had to scamper to equivocate away any possible real meaning being attached to the ad, which by the way was approved by Ma. The KMT basically stated that it was the will of the people which would determine Taiwan's fate and, oh yeah, the KMT gets to decide which people are people and that fate doesn't include independence.

Enter Pan Wei-kang, a KMT legislative caucus whip, to further clarify: she stressed that independence is only an option for the Taiwan people but not for the KMT.

Okay, I'd buy that for a dollar!

Watch the video and ponder:

• When did Mayor Ma stop singing for Roxy Music?
• The Taiwan Anti-Secession (中國反分裂法) law was not anything new, no big deal, except he had to loudly protest publicly, but still it's nothing. No! Yes! No! Yes! No times infinity!
• Around minute 13:20 he calls twice-failed presidential candidate Lian Zhan "President Lian Zhan." Correct?
• International space ( China's belief that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of that, I believe, is what he means) is the naughtiest issue we (Taiwan) face. Naughtiest? Oooh! Watch out China! He's gonna call a time-out and send you to your room.

The host, Stephen Sackur, never really gets hard, maybe just functionally firm, with Ma. I think that Ma's planting of his feet firmly on both sides of the fence would just further obfuscate the already confusing Taiwan issue for those who do not actively follow it. If you are one of the aforementioned, watch the video and let me know if it helped you understand the issue.