Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who is pro-Beijing, visited mainland China for the first time among former and incumbent Taiwanese presidents on the 27th. Unlike current President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), former President Ma is a friendly person to China, but it is interpreted as reflecting the idea that Taiwan is only a local government of China, not a state.
According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency on the 29th, former President Ma started his schedule by visiting the tomb of Sun Yat-sen, who is called China’s “Father of the State,” in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, on the 28th, the second day of his visit to China. “By overthrowing the Qing Dynasty in 1911, we ended the 4,000-year-old monarchical dictatorship in China and established the Republic of China, the first democratic republic in Asia,” he said in a statement honoring Sun Yat-sen’s achievements. The Republic of China is also the official name of Taiwan.
Former President Ma said, “The mainland (China) is treating me beyond expectations, and it is a good phenomenon that my friends on the mainland are very kind.”
As in former President Ma’s assessment, China’s atmosphere of great welcome seems clear. Wherever former President Ma went, crowds of people flocked to welcome him, and Chinese media are also reporting extensively. In particular, Baidu, China’s largest portal site, discloses former President Ma’s schedule and moves hourly and delivers them in real time.
Former President Ma, who is pro-China, served as Taiwan’s president from 2008 to 2016. During his tenure, he pursued a moderate China policy, and in 2015 held a summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore. It is interpreted that China welcomes him more because it contrasts with President Tsai Tsai, who has a strong anti-China tendency.
However, apart from the welcoming atmosphere, some point out that the level is somewhat lower when looking at the titles and courtesy given to him. On the evening of the 28th, former President Ma held a meeting with Jiangsu Provincial Communist Party secretary Shin Changxing, and at this meeting, Secretary Shin referred to former President Ma as “Mr. Chinese media also used the titles of ‘Taiwan Regional Leader’ and ‘Former President of the Kuomintang’ when referring to former President Ma in related reports. Because China views Taiwan as part of China, it does not officially use the title of “President of Taiwan” nor does it recognize the title of President of Taiwan.
Analysts say that the lower ranks of Chinese officials who received former President Ma are an extension of this. At the time, the airport was greeted by Chen Yuan-peng, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Party Central Committee, Zhang Wei, senior official of the Shanghai Party, and Zhong Xiaomin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of Shanghai City. In Taiwan, it was initially expected that Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang (丁薛祥), a close aide to President Xi, would come out, but a much lower level figure came out. It is interpreted that China intentionally sent a low-ranking official to send a message that Taiwan is a provincial-level region of China.
In fact, when Lianzhan visited China in 2005 as the Kuomintang president rather than the current president, he was greeted by the director, not the vice-chief, of the Taiwan Office.
On the 28th, former President Ma Ying-jeou, who was the first Taiwanese former or incumbent supreme leader to visit China, visited the grave of Sun Yat-sen (孫文, 1866-1925), who is respected both on both sides of the island, and emphasized peace between China and Taiwan. did.
At this meeting, former President Ma said, “The danger of war can be avoided only when exchanges between the two countries are well established and mutual trust is formed.”
In the midst of this, President Tsai will visit Guatemala and Belize in Central America from the 29th, and will visit New York and Los Angeles, USA on the way. During his visit to the United States, the possibility of meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, is being discussed.
Beijing =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.