Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Over the past few weeks, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has been swamped by allegations of dubious relations with Ting Hsin International Group (頂新國際集團). Despite the Presidential Office’s repeated denials, dismissing the claims as fabricated accusations, public doubts over Ma’s integrity continue to grow as more allegations surface.

With the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) prospects of becoming the next ruling party having brightened considerably after the Nov. 29 nine-in-one elections last year, pundits and academics are wasting no time to say that the biggest obstacle to its takeover of the presidency will be its cross-strait policy, or the lack thereof.

It is without doubt important for the next government to have a systematic and well-considered policy framework underlying its dealings with Taiwan’s powerful neighbor, but it is equally worrying that some are eager to show their willingness to be led by the Chinese government in terms of the “unification agenda.”