Ma Ying-jeou rapped for 'cold-blooded' response to Occupy Central

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has come under fire from the opposition camp and some civic groups for taking too soft a line over Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement.

But analysts say unless the Ma government wants to risk a setback in cross-strait ties, there is not much it can do other than support the protesters' appeals for democracy and urge the mainland not to suppress them.

Pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers said Ma had failed to offer concrete support for Occupy.

"Instead of saying something without substance, Ma should offer more concrete support for the people in his birthplace [Hong Kong]," DPP legislator Huang Wei-che said.

DPP lawmaker Chiu Chih-wei also lashed out after Interior Minister Chen Wei-zen said he had "no comment [on Occupy] because this is Hong Kong's issue". Chui said: "Relations between Hong Kong and Taiwan are close … and some of the [ministry's] work also involves Hong Kong.

"Instead of expressing unease about the situation … Chen appeared unconcerned. This shows the Ma government is not only cold-blooded towards Hong Kong, but is also afraid of China."