7th April 2023 – (Taipei) Former President Ma Ying-jeou has returned to Taiwan after a 12-day trip to China, during which he met with Communist Party officials and paid respects to his ancestors’ graves in Hunan Province. However, his visit has raised concerns as he warned that Taiwan was moving closer to danger, accusing the current government of escalating tensions with China. This comes amid criticism of Ma’s praise for China’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and accusations of him living in the past.
Ma’s trip to China was the first visit by a former president of Taiwan to China, coinciding with President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to allies Guatemala and Belize, and a historic meeting with United States House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy. During his trip, Ma met with Song Tao, the new director of the Cabinet-level Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), among other Communist Party officials.
Speaking to the media at Taoyuan International Airport upon his return to Taiwan, Ma accused Tsai’s government of escalating tension with China. He warned that Taiwan would have to choose between war and peace in the future, according to a report by Reuters. With presidential and legislative elections scheduled for January 2024, and Tsai reaching the end of her second and final term, Ma’s comments have stirred up concerns about the future direction of cross-strait relations.
Ma, who served as president from 2008 to 2016, reiterated his belief that both Taiwan and China are part of a single China, though with different political systems, according to CNA. This stance has been controversial, as it contradicts the current government’s position of maintaining Taiwan’s status as a sovereign, independent nation. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has accused Ma of living in the past and advocating discredited formulas from the 1970s, further fueling the debate on Taiwan’s relationship with China.
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