Ying-jeou Ma

President, Republic of China (Taiwan)

Date of Birth: 13/07/1950
Place of Birth: Hong Kong

As China's President Hu Jintao tours Africa this month, his Taiwanese counterpart will be conspicuously absent. Ma Ying-jeou has been trying to cool the diplomatic competition with Beijing.

On 4 February, Taipei's Foreign Ministry quashed rumours of a presidential tour of Taiwan's four African allies, Burkina Faso, Gambia, São Tomé e Príncipe and Swaziland. Days later, Foreign Minister Francisco Ou revealed that Ma would be visiting allies El Salvador and Panama in the middle of the year.

Ma has long ridden a tide of popularity and favour. He was born in Hong Kong in 1950; his father, a Kuomintang (KMT) cadre, brought the family to Taiwan the following year. Ma grew up in elite circles. After studying law at National Chenchi University, he won KMT scholarships to New York and Harvard Universities. Returning to Taipei in 1981, Ma became a translator for President Chiang Ching-kuo.

He served in various positions under Chiang's patronage and was Justice Minister under Chiang's successor Lee Teng-hui from 1993 to 1996. In 1998, he unseated Taipei's Mayor Chen Shui-bian and held the mayoralty until 2006. Ma resigned to fight corruption charges, won the case - and then the presidency, beating former human-rights lawyer Frank Hsieh in March 2008.

Taiwanese politics are lively: blows are often exchanged in parliament. Yet Ma remains polite and restrained and enjoys broad support in urban areas.

Those watching Ma for clues to the future of Taiwan-China ties may be looking in the wrong place: cross-strait negotiations are driven by KMT-Chinese Communist Party forums. Both current KMT Chair Wu Poh-hsiung and Honorary Chairman Lien Chan wield greater influence.