ELECTION 2024/Ma's 'trust' comment about Xi draws rebuke from DPP

Taipei, Jan. 10 (CNA) The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Wednesday described former President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) comment that Taiwan has no choice but to trust Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) on cross-strait relations as a "departure from reality."

At a press conference, DPP spokesperson Tai Wei-shan (戴瑋姍) called Ma's remarks in an interview with Deutsche Well (DW) a "despicable" attempt to give foreign media a false impression of the public consensus on cross-strait relations in Taiwan.

During the interview that was aired Wednesday --three days ahead of Taiwan's elections -- Ma, the former Kuomintang (KMT) president, said "as far as cross-strait relations, you have to," when asked if he can trust Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Accusing the former president of having "no idea what era he lives in," Tai said Ma's views were a "departure from reality" that differed sharply from those held by the Taiwanese society.

Ma's remarks also received a lukewarm response from KMT presidential nominee Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜), who called the former president's view "somewhat different" from his own.

At a press event in Kaohsiung, Hou said that he has never had unrealistic ideas about mainland China.

The KMT nominee added that when it came to cross-strait relations, it was imperative to safeguard Taiwan's democratic and free system and oppose one country, two systems.

Hou's 3Ds strategy

Hou said that from the past to the present, he had always advocated the "3Ds strategy" to promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which entails "deterrence, dialogue and de-escalation."

Sept. 19: KMT's Hou outlines '3Ds tactic' to maintain cross-strait peace

Ma's interview with DW saw the former president discuss the divergent paths Taiwan's relationship with China has taken under his administration and that of his successor, the DPP's Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

Asked to comment on possible unification with China, the 73-year-old Ma, who served as president from 2008 to 2016, noted that, constitutionally speaking, such a proposal was "acceptable to Taiwan."

"Unification is something that our constitution says. So, it's actually acceptable to Taiwan, but it has to be done peacefully and through a democratic process."

"If that can be done [in such a manner] the chances are people in Taiwan may be interested in accepting that [unification]," he said.

Contrasting tensions with Beijing under Tsai to the relatively cordial ties under his own administration, Ma blamed the current situation on "the DPP's advocacy of Taiwan's independence," which he said was "something the mainland cannot accept."

Meanwhile, Ma described the notion Taiwan should spend enough on its military so that it could hold off a Chinese attack until the United States or Japan could assist as "too optimistic."

"No matter how much you defend yourself, you can never fight a war with the mainland. You can never win, they [China] are too large, too much stronger than us," Ma said.

Ma said Taiwan should use non-military means to reduce tensions with China, adding that this was something people on both sides of the strait were in favor of.

"If you've always believed in a strong defense, it's all right. But in that situation [for Taiwan] it would be very dangerous to our people."

Asked whether this displayed a "defeatist" attitude, Ma said deterrence was a challenging endeavor, adding that Taiwan "should not place all our faith in defense."

"We have to use peaceful means," Ma said.

Update

Jan. 11: KMT presidential nominee Hou rules out unification talks with China