In a New Year’s Day statement issued yesterday, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said she found it incomprehensible that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) seems confused as to the definition of the country he governs.

Saying that the land and people are the roots of a country, Tsai said that while the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) prostrates itself before “power and rulers” and believes that “no Republic of China (ROC) means no Taiwan,” the DPP has faith in “this land and its people” and is of the opinion that “there would be no ROC if there were no Taiwan.”