Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou visited mainland China for a ten-day trip, starting off in Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha, Chongqing, and Shanghai. His visit has been labeled as a trip to pay respect to his ancestors and to better the atmosphere on both sides of the strait. However, criticism towards his visit has risen from both mainland China and Taiwan. Despite this, some view Ma Ying-jeou’s promotion of cross-strait exchanges as a positive move. Ma Ying-jeou highlighted in his speech that the people on both sides of the strait belong to the same Chinese nation, and they are descendants of the Chinese people. He also visited the memorial hall for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre. Chen Chien-jen, Taiwan’s premier, hopes that China will respect Ma Ying-jeou in accordance with international practices. Taiwan’s “Taiwan State” organization protested and demonstrated at the airport as Ma Ying-jeou departed while Green Camp opposed his visit.
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Ma Ying-jeou
Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou arrived in mainland China this week to start a ten-day visit. His destinations included Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha, Chongqing, and Shanghai.
Ma Ying-jeou said that this trip was to worship ancestors, and he also brought Taiwanese college students to exchange, hoping to improve the current atmosphere on both sides of the strait. But his trip has drawn criticism both on the mainland and in Taiwan. However, there are also views that Ma Ying-jeou’s promotion of cross-strait exchanges is a good thing.
“A Declaration”
Ma Ying-jeou arrived in Shanghai on Monday (March 27), and visited the Nanjing Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum on Tuesday (28th).
Ma Ying-jeou emphasized in his speech that people on both sides of the strait belong to the same Chinese nation and are descendants of the Chinese people. We sincerely hope that both sides of the Taiwan Strait will work together to pursue peace and avoid war.
Ma Ying-jeou also visited the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders on Wednesday. Xinhua News Agency reported that Ma Ying-jeou said in an interview that history must never be forgotten, and that all Chinese people should be self-reliant, so as not to be bullied and slaughtered by others.
Ma Ying-jeou’s visit is the first visit to the mainland by an outgoing Taiwanese president since 1949. But on the day Ma Ying-jeou arrived, Chinese state media did not include his title in the report. In subsequent reports, Chinese state media dubbed Ma Ying-jeou the “former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang”.
China’s official media Global Times reported that Taiwan’s Green Camp “has been making sour remarks” regarding the visit. It also cited the latest China Times online poll as saying that 77% of Taiwan’s respondents were “optimistic regarding its success.”
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Ma Ying-jeou
Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of the Global Times, pointed out that what the “Taiwan independence” forces most want to cut off is the common emotion and memory between the people on the island and the people on the mainland. The strong reminder of “Chinese” can even be seen as a declaration.
On social media in mainland China, some netizens believe that Ma Ying-jeou only talks regarding peace because he only wants to make profits and not reunification.
Weibo netizen “Deep Sea Cancer Big-headed Dragon” said: “If you don’t talk regarding reunification, just talk regarding peace. Isn’t that maintaining a state of division?”
Netizens “people who support patriotism and love Hong Kong” also think: “Only talk regarding peace, not reunification, secretly alone.”
Taiwan view
In Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou’s trip was opposed and criticized by the Taiwan independence faction and the Green Camp.
When Ma Ying-jeou was departing from Taoyuan Airport in Taiwan, members of the Taiwan independence organization “Taiwan State” protested and demonstrated at the airport, criticizing Ma Ying-jeou for “losing power and humiliating the country”, and then clashed with the police and was taken away from the airport.
Chen Chien-jen, Taiwan’s premier, said on Tuesday that Ma Ying-jeou was the former head of state of Taiwan, and he hoped that China would treat him in accordance with international practices, so as to implement the principles of respect and reciprocity between the two sides of the strait.
Wang Dan, a “June 4th” student leader who lived in Taiwan, criticized that it was inappropriate and inappropriate for Ma Ying-jeou to visit China at a time when Beijing was suppressing the Republic of China.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Honduras announced on the followingnoon of March 25 local time that it would sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Subsequently, on March 26, Beijing time, the Chinese government announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with Honduras. That brings the number of countries with which Taiwan has diplomatic ties further down to 13, and since Tsai Ing-wen was elected, nine countries have severed ties with Taiwan’s Republic of China government.
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Some people in Taiwan oppose Ma Ying-jeou’s visit to the mainland
“At the moment when the Republic of China is being bullied by the outside world, I would like to especially appeal to former President Ma Ying-jeou: If you still have a little affection for Taiwan, if you still have a little love for the Republic of China, at this moment, you should categorically cancel your visit to China.” Itinerary, expressing protest once morest the CCP and expressing the will to safeguard the Republic of China,” Wang Dan wrote.
But there are also Taiwanese who hold a different view. Former Zhongtian host Huang Zhixian commented in Taiwan’s “China Times”, saying that cross-strait exchanges are always a good thing, which of course makes the green camp unhappy.
“The mainland has never been hostile to Taiwan. For a long time, Taiwan’s public opinion has been brainwashed and hijacked by Taiwan independence and the United States, and they have continued to be hostile to the mainland,” she said.
Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou’s ten-day visit to mainland China has drawn criticism from both sides of the strait. While Ma emphasised in his speeches that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the same Chinese nation and are descendants of the Chinese people, mainland netizens accused him of trying to make profits and not reunification. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, Ma’s trip was opposed and criticised by the Taiwan independence faction and the Green Camp. The visit comes at a time when Beijing is suppressing the Republic of China and diplomatic relations with Taiwan continue to dwindle. Despite this, there are those who believe that cross-strait exchanges are always a good thing.
