18 Facts About Ma Ying-jeou

Ma Ying-jeou then studied law in the United States, where he earned a master's degree from New York University in 1976 and his doctorate from Harvard University in 1981.

Ma Ying-jeou initiated a series of cross-strait summits with the mainland, was elected again as party chairman in 2009, and signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with the People's Republic of China in 2010.

Ma Ying-jeou's father, Ma Ho-ling, was born in Xiangtan and had joined the Kuomintang and its youth army in 1941.

Ma Ying-jeou was a one year old infant when the family moved to Taiwan.

Ma Ying-jeou received a baptism at Resurrection church on Dali Street in Taipei near the Huaxi Street Night Market.

Ma Ying-jeou passed with high marks on the General Scholastic Ability Test and entered National Taiwan University in September 1968 to study law.

Ma Ying-jeou visited 20 universities, including the University of Chicago, Harvard University, Georgetown University, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Ma Ying-jeou did research under Judge Richard Reeve Baxter of the International Court of Justice.

Ma Ying-jeou remained a supporter of the Kuomintang, rather than supporting the New Party formed by KMT supporters who campaigned on an anti-corruption platform.

Ma Ying-jeou was strongly criticized by the DPP for not allowing the ROC national flag to be flown along with a PRC flag during Asian Women's Football Championship held in Taipei.

Ma Ying-jeou opposed the 2004 Taiwanese cross-Strait relations referendum, which had been widely criticized by the US and PRC.

Ma Ying-jeou's handling of the post-election demonstrations of the Pan-Blue Coalition, in which he at one point sent riot police to control the demonstrations of his pan-blue party supporters, was generally seen as impartial.

Ma Ying-jeou was the official nominee of the Kuomintang for the 2008 presidential election.

Ma Ying-jeou is described by Time as "one of those rare politicians who have an opportunity to shape the destiny not only of their own nation but of an entire region".

Ma Ying-jeou attended the inaugurations of both Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic and Fernando Lugo of Paraguay.

Ma Ying-jeou completed her undergraduate studies in life sciences at Harvard University and then her graduate studies at New York University.

Ma Ying-jeou later approved a visit by the Dalai Lama to lead prayers for Typhoon Morakot victims in August 2009.

Ma Ying-jeou has emphasized the "1992 Consensus" as the existing basis for constructive dialogue and exchange between mainland China and Taiwan.