Sunday, February 16, 2025

Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou to Go to China


As tensions fester between China and Taiwan, one elder politician from the island democracy is getting an effusive welcome on the mainland: Ma Ying-jeou, a former president.

Mr. Ma’s 11-day journey throughout China, which started on Monday, comes at a fraught time. Beijing and Taipei have been in dispute over two Chinese language fishermen who died whereas attempting to flee a Taiwanese coast guard vessel in February, and China has despatched its personal coast guard ships near a Taiwanese-controlled island close to the place the lads died.

Taiwanese officers count on China to accentuate its army intimidation as soon as the island’s subsequent president, Lai Ching-te, takes workplace on Could 20. His Democratic Progressive Social gathering rejects Beijing’s declare that Taiwan is a part of China, and Chinese language officers significantly dislike Mr. Lai, usually citing his 2017 description of himself as a “pragmatic employee for Taiwan’s independence.”

However, China’s heat remedy of Mr. Ma, 73, Taiwan’s president from 2008 to 2016, appears a method to emphasize that Beijing will maintain an open door for politicians who favor nearer ties and settle for its circumstances for talks.

“Beijing’s coverage towards Taiwan will certainly be utilizing extra of each a delicate contact but in addition a tough fist,” Chang Wu-yue, a professor on the Graduate Institute of China Research of Tamkang College in Taiwan, stated in an interview about Mr. Ma’s go to.

Officers from Mr. Ma’s Nationalist Social gathering have hinted that later in his journey, he might meet with China’s prime chief, Xi Jinping. That will echo groundbreaking talks that the 2 held in 2015. China has frozen high-level official contacts since Taiwan’s present president, Tsai Ing-wen, took workplace in 2016. She and the president-elect, Mr. Lai, belong to the identical get together, often identified by its initials, D.P.P.

“This journey to the mainland is within the hope that at a time of cross-strait tensions, we will convey Taiwanese folks’s heartfelt love of peace and hope for engagement between the 2 sides of the strait, avoiding warfare,” Mr. Ma advised reporters in Taiwan earlier than leaving for China.

Mr. Lai has stated that there might be no drastic change in Taiwan’s standing, and that he needs talks with China. However his get together rejects Beijing’s circumstances for official talks, particularly a formulation beneath which both sides accepts there’s “one China,” even when they differ on what which means. The Democratic Progressives name {that a} rhetorical entice to advance China’s declare over Taiwan.

Nationalist Social gathering officers argue that they assist Taiwan by speaking to senior Chinese language officers.

“What if an accident occurs? There’s no dialogue, no communication channel, between the D.P.P. authorities and the Communist authorities in China,” Sean Lien, a vice chairman of the Nationalist Social gathering, stated in an interview earlier than Mr. Ma’s journey. “The truth that he’s visiting China in early April, and doubtless will meet with Xi Jinping — I truly assume that may assist scale back the mounting tensions between Taiwan and mainland China.”

For Mr. Xi, a gathering with Mr. Ma could also be a means of attempting to point out Chinese language those who Taiwan shouldn’t be slipping irretrievably past hope of unification.

“For Beijing, it’s in Xi’s curiosity to point out that point is on mainland China’s facet, and possibly he can spin a gathering with Ma — if it occurs — to convey that narrative to the home viewers,” stated Bonnie S. Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program on the German Marshall Fund of the USA. “Which may ease a number of the strain that’s rising internally.”

Partially, Mr. Ma’s journey is one other transfer within the contest between his Nationalist Social gathering and Mr. Lai’s incoming administration.

Mr. Lai gained 40 % of the presidential vote, prevailing in a three-way race. However the Nationalists gained probably the most seats within the legislative election. Each the Nationalists and Chinese language officers have stated that these outcomes confirmed that Mr. Lai doesn’t symbolize mainstream Taiwanese opinion, a message Beijing is prone to amplify throughout Mr. Ma’s go to.

However Mr. Ma’s go to to China has dangers for his get together. He represents a wing of the Nationalists dedicated to Taiwan’s reconciliation with Beijing as a part of one Chinese language nation, an concept that different sectors of his get together, and Taiwanese voters, are cautious of. Within the remaining days of Taiwan’s presidential race, the Nationalist candidate, Hou Yu-ih, distanced himself from Mr. Ma over feedback that the previous president made about Taiwan’s army vulnerabilities.

“Regardless of how a lot you defend your self, you’ll be able to by no means combat a warfare with the mainland; you’ll be able to by no means win,” Mr. Ma advised Deutsche Welle. Unification with China could possibly be acceptable to Taiwan, he added, if achieved peacefully and democratically.

Based on a ballot of Taiwanese folks by the Election Examine Heart of Nationwide Chengchi College in Taipei, about 1 % help unification “as quickly as doable.” Almost 90 % favor some model of Taiwan’s present ambiguous established order: self-ruling, separate from China, however wanting full formal independence.

The D.P.P. has accused Mr. Ma of promoting out Taiwanese pursuits by going to China.

“The Chinese language Communists try to make use of Ma Ying-jeou’s go to to border the phrases for political dialogue on each side of the Taiwan Strait,” Wang Ting-yu, a Democratic Progressive lawmaker, stated in an interview. Mr. Ma doesn’t symbolize mainstream views inside his personal get together, Mr. Wang stated: “He has misplaced the mandate of public opinion.”

As president, Mr. Ma expanded financial ties with China, together with tourism. However his plans for a extra formidable commerce pact ran aground in 2014 after protesters occupied Taiwan’s legislature, arguing that the settlement would undermine Taiwan’s financial autonomy.

Mr. Ma first visited China final 12 months, although he didn’t meet with Mr. Xi. This time, he’ll lead a bunch of Taiwanese college students to Guangdong Province in southern China and to Shaanxi Province within the northwest, there to attend a ceremony honoring the Yellow Emperor, the mythic forefather of Han folks. Lastly, they’ll go to Beijing, the place the assembly with Mr. Xi might happen.

Taiwan’s Nationalist Social gathering issued an announcement defending Mr. Ma’s journey and expressing “hope that this go to will contribute to cross-strait peace and stability.” It additionally famous that Mr. Ma not held any senior posts within the get together.

“They’re establishing some safety,” stated Dennis Lu-Chung Weng, an affiliate professor at Sam Houston State College in Texas who research Taiwanese politics. “If something goes improper in Beijing, or Ma Ying-jeou mentions one thing unacceptable to the Taiwanese folks, the get together will point out that they don’t seem to be with Ma Ying-jeou on that.”

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