|
 Ma, 65, told Reuters in an exclusive interview that, though the
economic and social gaps between the proudly democratic island and
its giant Communist neighbour were narrowing, their political
differences remained wide.
"The political situation between the two sides is still very
different," said Ma, speaking on the day China was celebrating its
National Day. "I think to discuss matters, such as unification, is
not very suitable. Taiwan is not ready."
Although his eight-year presidency has been characterised by warming
business ties with China, Ma, who steps down next year due to term
limits, repeated how "the time was not yet ripe" for unification
talks between the once bitter enemies.
His comments underscore how far Taiwan has moved from embracing
China following massive protests on the island last year against a
cross-strait trade pact and the weakening of Ma's pro-China
Nationalist party.
 China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since defeated
Nationalist forces fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil
war to the Communists.
Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring the island of
23 million people back under its control, particularly if it were to
make moves towards formal independence.
"FREER THAN IN PAST"
Ma acknowledged China's economy and society have changed
dramatically in the past 30 years.
"The economy and society are freer than in the past," he said. "Its
stock markets are vibrant. This was rarely seen before."
China is Taiwan's largest trading partner and many Taiwanese tech
companies run plants on the mainland.
Under Ma, Taiwan has signed a series of trade and economic pacts
with Beijing, though there have been no political talks and
suspicions persist on both sides.
In what was widely seen as a backlash against creeping dependence on
China, Ma's Nationalists were trounced in local elections last year
and look on course for defeat in the 2016 presidential vote to the
independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The DPP says it believes only Taiwan's people can decide its future,
a stance Beijing interprets as favouring independence.
Taiwan is probably China's most sensitive political issue, and its
eventual "recovery" remains at the top of the agenda for the
Communist Party.
China's President Xi Jinping said at a regional summit in 2013 that
a political solution to a stand-off over sovereignty lasting more
than six decades could not be postponed forever.
Chinese special forces held mock battles at the Zhurihe training
base in Inner Mongolia using a full-scale model of Taiwan's
presidential office and nearby government buildings and roads,
according to a report by the Taiwanese defence ministry last month
that was seen by Reuters.
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The Taiwanese report added that of China's 1.24 million-strong
ground forces, 400,000 could be used in combat against the island.
SUBMARINE PLANS ON COURSE
Taiwan has budgeted T$3 billion ($91 million) for four years
starting next year to kickstart the design contract phase for what
will be a decades-long programme to build its own fleet of
submarines.
Taiwan has four ageing submarines, including two that date from
World War Two, although its military is otherwise considered
generally modern.
Ma said he was "very confident" about the homegrown submarine plan
and that it remained on track.
"Now we want to build our own submarines for our defence
requirements. We will actively nurture some talent and hope to
accelerate the pace in the future," he said.
Crucial to Taiwan's indigenous submarine programme is the transfer
from the United States or other Western countries of
submarine-manufacturing technology, a move that would be opposed by
China.
Ma said that Taiwan has never ruled out the possibility of accepting
help from other countries who have the technology.
U.S. weapons sales in recent years to Taiwan have attracted strong
condemnation from China, but have not caused lasting damage to
Beijing's relations with either Washington or Taipei.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, enacted in 1979 when Washington
severed formal ties with the island in favour of recognising the
People's Republic of China in Beijing, the United States is
obligated to help Taiwan defend itself. ($1 = 32.8430 Taiwan
dollars)
(Additional reporting by Jeanny Kao; Editing by Alex Richardson)
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