Taiwan’s former President Ma says independence not possible

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/12/20
By: Shih Hsiu-chuan 

Taipei, Dec. 20 (CNA) Taiwan’s options for the future lie only between maintaining the status quo tied to the “1992 consensus,” a formula endorsing the one China principle, and unifying with China, while independence was not possible, former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said Thursday.

Ma, who served as president from 2008-2016, made the assertions in what he said were “ultimate solutions” to the relationship between Taiwan and China, in his biography – “A Memoir of Eight Years in Office” launched on Thursday.

But he emphasized that the possibility of cross-strait unification can only be achieved “in a democratic and peaceful manner” through a referendum on the topic by the people of Taiwan and that no specific time frame should be given on such a vote.

“Pragmatically speaking, there exists no possibility of Taiwan independence. The only option is whether to reunify (with China) or not,” Ma said in his book.
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