Ma Ying-jeou's New "Three Nos"

* In the symposium commemorating the third anniversary of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jin-ping in Singapore on November 7, 2015, Taiwan former President Ma Ying-jeou promulgated a new "Three Nos" position--not ruling out unification, no independence, and no use of force--on cross-Strait relations.
* This was a marked shift from his earlier version of the "Three Nos"--no unification, no independence, and no use of force--during 2008 to 2016 as president. Though he no longer holds any position within the KMT and the government, Ma's new perspectives on cross-Strait relations could have ripple effect in the upcoming mayoral elections on 11/24.
*  One of the biggest criticisms against the incumbent Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was its inability to manage the complex relations with China. President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly refused to accept the so-called "1992 consensus"--one China, subject to seperate interpretations, and that has made the maintenance of status quo difficult, as Beijing, among other things, has further squeezed Taiwan's international space and orchestrated the drop-off in mainland tourists to Taiwan and government-level exchanges and activities.
* Ma's latest remarks offered another indication that he plans to stay "front and centre" in Taiwan's domestic political scene, at least within the KMT. As his popularity grows amidst cross-Strait malaise, there are increasing calls for him to launch another presidential bid in 2020, when he turns 70. For politicians of any color, "never say never" seems to be a prudent approach.
* The 11/24 mayoral elections and concurrently the ten referendums could have a huge impact on Taiwan's political landscape and prospects of 2020 presidential race. With just two weeks to go, leaders from both the KMT and the ruling DPP have been out campaigning for respective party nominees, Ma included. More importantly, these two weeks will provide an opportunities for likely presidential hopefuls--KMT Chair Wu Den-yi, outgoing New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu, former Legislative Yuan (LY) Speaker Wang Jin-pin, and Ma himself--to "test the water" before making future plans.