On Monday, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou went to China on a historical tour to promote peace and better ties via youth exchanges.
Ma, who served from 2008 to 2016, would be the first Taiwanese president to visit China since the defeated Republic of China administration fled to Taiwan in 1949 after a civil war with the Communists.
The trip comes amid rising tensions between Beijing and Taipei as China exerts military and political pressure to force democratic Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty.
Ma met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in late 2015 before Tsai Ing-wen won the election.
Ma, 73, told reporters at Taoyuan International Airport that he was “extremely glad” to visit his relatives’ graves in China and chat with pupils.
In short remarks, he said, “Apart from going to make offerings to my ancestors, I am also taking Taiwan university students to the mainland for exchanges with them, hoping to improve the current cross-strait atmosphere through the enthusiasm and interaction of young people, so peace can come even faster and sooner to us here.”
Ma is a senior member of Taiwan’s biggest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), which supports close ties with China but denies being pro-Beijing.
Due to Taiwan Strait tensions, the KMT argues outreach to China is more important than ever.
Tsai’s proposals for discussions have been rejected by China, which views her as a separatist. Taiwan’s destiny is up to its people, she argues.
The chairman of Ma’s charity stated last week that if they organize a meeting with senior Chinese officials, Ma will be “at his host’s disposal.”
The pro-independence Taiwan Republic Office was welcomed at the airport by supporters and angry protestors, who were only permitted to display their banners briefly before authorities removed them.
Ma’s visit on Monday was criticized by Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party since Honduras had cut ties with Taipei the day before.
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