Former President of Taiwan arrives in China

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This is reported by the Taiwanese opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), to which Ma belongs. Ma is the first former or current head of state from Taiwan to visit the People’s Republic.

Just before leaving, Ma said he wanted to honor his ancestors and organize student exchanges during his 12-day trip. He hopes that the Youth Exchange will help improve relations and “bring faster to peace”.

Ma ruled the island republic from 2008 to 2016. Under his leadership, Taiwan and China grew closer. In late 2015, Ma met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore. Relations have cooled under the new Taiwanese government of President Tsai Ing-wen.

A visit by former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi last August added to the tension. China responded with missile tests and military maneuvers, practicing a naval and air blockade and conquest of Taiwan.

Michelle Lin, spokeswoman for Taiwan’s governing party DPP, criticized the ex-president’s trip on Monday. The KMT ignores the fact that China oppresses Taiwan. Other opposition parties had asked Ma to cancel the trip altogether.

Taiwanese President Tsai plans to make state visits to Guatemala and Belize later this week. Stopovers in New York and Los Angeles are also planned, which should cause irritation in Beijing.

Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the island part of its territory and opposes any form of official diplomatic contact between Taiwan and other countries.

(SDA)

Source: Blick