Ma has been central in promoting "party diplomacy" (links between the KMT and countries and parties abroad), and played an important role in the decisions to end martial law, lift the ban on parties, and other political reform.
而執政黨目前與世界四十餘國、一百四十幾個政黨建立聯繫關係和友誼，馬英九這位推動「政黨外交」的大將功不可沒。此外，他也在執政黨解除戒嚴、開放黨禁的政治改革措施中，扮演重要角色。