Taiwan former leader calls to maintain exchanges with Beijing

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
30 Mar 2023 16:41

The former President and ex-leader of the KMT received greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping through the head of the Taiwan Affairs Office, Song Tao.

Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou before leaving for China at Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan, on March 27, 2023 (AP)

Taiwan's ex-president Ma Ying-jeou said on Thursday that maintaining open lines of communication with China was of great significance as he spoke to a high-ranking Beijing official.

"People on both sides of the strait belong to the same Chinese nation and are descendants of the Chinese people," Ma said in a statement Thursday.

"The two sides of the Taiwan Strait must maintain exchanges, work together, do everything possible to avoid wars and conflicts, and strive to revitalize China."

He had just completed a historic visit to the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, an event which many say has revived deep senses of nostalgia for the Chinese people in Taiwan.

It is the first time of Ma Ying-jeou’s to visit #China mainland. His visit, also an #ancestral trip, touched upon deep #memories of Taiwan people's national identity. #MaYingjeou #Taiwan #Identity #Jiangsu #Hubei #Hunan pic.twitter.com/JZzv9fBmcb
— YouthinJiangsu (@JiangsuYouth) March 30, 2023

Taipei's ruling party has, on the other hand, slammed the visit as "regrettable".

"We should be more united... but it's regrettable that the KMT stands with the Chinese communists and ex-president Ma disregards public disapproval to visit China at this moment," the party said in a statement Monday.

Ma is currently on a twelve-day visit to the Chinese mainland which kicked off on Monday.

This marks the first trip to the mainland since the civil war by a former or current leader of Taiwan in over seven decades.

Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office, met with former KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou on Thur in Wuhan. Song conveyed greetings from General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping and affirmed Ma's contribution to cross-Straits relations. pic.twitter.com/SsPuHHVYDN
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) March 30, 2023

On another note, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has just recently landed in New York Wednesday for a ten-day official visit.

She will then travel to Guatemala and Belize for official visits and potentially head back to the US where she will be meeting with US House speaker Kevin McCarthy during a transit visit in Los Angeles, which has been received as a provocation on Beijing's part.

Although China vowed retaliation if she met with the Speaker, the US in turn warned Beijing not to overreact.

This comes days after Honduras cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and strengthened relations with Beijing - leaving the island with only 13 countries that recognize it as a sovereign state, of which Belize and Guatemala are included.