In a recent interview by the Financial Times, President Ma Ying-jeou refuted criticism that he has fallen into Beijing's "trap" by strengthening economic ties with China through the signing of ECFA, which the opposition party worries will make eventual unification with the mainland inevitable. Ma emphasized that closer cross-strait relations will not lead to overdependence on China, since the government will also seek to expand Taiwan's international participation.

President Ma Ying-jeou's administration has been pushing forward the signing of the ECFA across the Straits.

But opposition party accused that Taiwan would eventually fall into the trap of reunification made by China due to closer economic intergration.

To address concerns, President Ma stressed that the country is not falling into the trap China's making since closer relations with China don't mean that Taiwan would become heavily dependent on China and it continues to expand international participation.

When commenting on the reunification issue, President Ma reiterated his stance of maintaining the status quo and that he wouldn't open talks on the issue with China during his term, leaving the people of the two sides enough time to gradually come up with a solution after extensive, in-depth exchanges.

But no one knows how long it would take.

His administration's priority is to let the Beijing government know that the cross-strat relations would develop positively only when Taiwan gets to expand its international participation.

When President Ma received an exclusive interview by Wall Street Journal, he said the next ten years would be critical to the reunification issue.

His comments stirred a huge political reponse of the administration's ultimate, hidden reunification agenda.

His talks again touched sensitive sovereignty issue. Therefore, the president seems to be extra careful and replied in Chinese, to avoid any misun

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