During a historic visit to China, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou emphasized the shared ancestry of those on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, drawing criticism from Taiwan's ruling party.
A Landmark Journey Ma, who served as president from 2008 to 2016, is the first current or former Taiwanese president to visit China since the defeated Republic of China government retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after a civil war with the Communists. Ma's visit comes at a time of heightened tension as Beijing employs political and military tactics to pressure democratic Taiwan into recognizing Chinese sovereignty.
Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party has questioned the timing of his visit, as China recently severed diplomatic ties with another Taiwanese ally, Honduras, leaving the island with official diplomatic relations with only 13 countries.
Celebrating Shared Ancestry In Nanjing, at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum dedicated to the leader who overthrew China's last emperor in 1911, Ma praised Sun's accomplishments, emphasizing the shared ancestry of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. He said, "People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese people and are both descendants of the Yan and Yellow Emperors."
Although Ma used a term that refers to Chinese ethnicity rather than nationality, polls show that most Taiwanese no longer identify as Chinese.
Seeking Peace and Cooperation Ma's visit is part of an effort by Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), to reach out to China in an attempt to reduce tensions. The KMT has traditionally advocated for closer relations with China, but strongly denies being pro-Beijing.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly extended offers of talks with China, but has been rebuffed because China views her as a separatist. Tsai maintains that only Taiwan's people can determine their future.
A senior KMT member, Ma expressed his hope for peace between the two sides, stating, "We sincerely hope that the two sides will work together to pursue peace, avoid war, and strive to revitalize China." He used a phrase that refers to the Chinese people in terms of ethnicity rather than nationality, adding, "This is an unavoidable responsibility of Chinese people on both sides of the Strait, and we must work hard."
During this trip, Ma is not scheduled to meet with any high-ranking Chinese officials. In 2015, he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore.
