Minimalist shorts today (not because Australian Masterchef beckons, but because the candidates are serving up some tasty quotes that work better without my insouciant waffling).

For starters, how about this zinger from Tsai Ing-wen talking about agriculture in the South: Ma “reads the data of his public opinion polls more carefully than economic data.”

Extracted from Time interview: Ma: “Many of my key programs require a long period to be implemented”.  TIME: “Has Beijing given you any indication that it might reduce the number of missiles aimed at Taiwan given the improvement in cross-strait relations?” Ma: “No, they never have”.

Ma has published a book, entitled The Audacity of Hope. Correction, its called Listening and Conversations.

James Soong said something.

KMT’s new campaign slogan “A vote for Soong is a vote for Tsai”.

The KMT website is promoting an editorial from the friendly China Times. “This is the first time in our nation’s history that a sitting President and current Presidential candidate has ever sued his challenger. This is unprecedented. A court battle will become part of the Presidential race”. Um, KMT if you’re thinking of hanging your hat on that, you’re in trouble.

From the same editorial: “Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP are seeking high office. A word to the wise. Voters will not tolerate a political party that fabricates lies to reacquire power”. Must…Resist…Australian…Masterchef…Starting soon…Must Resist…

Mail me at jonathan.sullivan@nottingham.ac.uk, follow me on Twitter @jonlsullivan, or access my papers at http://jonlsullivan.com