Paradoxically, the strong performance of James Soong Chu-yu of the People First Party, which split from the Kuomintang, helped Ma by giving voters a second alternative to him. And America’s quiet instructions to all candidates to avoid nationalist provocation undoubtedly also played a role in dampening tension with China – another factor that probably benefited Ma.
而奇怪的是，从国民党分裂出来的亲民党候选人宋楚瑜的优异表现帮助了马英九，因为前者提供了一个马英九之外的第二选项（因此那些不喜欢马英九的选民也不一定非要投给蔡英文）。与此同时，美国为免激怒大陆民族主义者而对所有候选人采取的沉默态度也无疑在缓和与中国大陆的紧张态势中发挥了作用——这也是另一个可能对马英九有帮助的因素。