Chinese leader Xi Jinping held talks with former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou on Wednesday ahead of the self-governing island swearing in a new leader, according to CNN.
Ma, who governed Taiwan from 2008 to 2016 and is currently in Beijing on an 11-day tour across China, met with Xi on Wednesday, Chinese media reported. Xi welcomed Ma for opposing “Taiwan independence”.
“Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all Chinese people. There is no grudge that cannot be resolved, no issue that cannot be discussed and no force that can separate us. External interference cannot stop the historic trend of the reunion of the family and the country.”
In response, Ma stated that although both sides of the strait had developed under different systems, both nations belonged to the Chinese people.
If a war breaks out between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, it will be an unbearable burden for the Chinese nation. I sincerely hope that both sides respect the values and way of life treasured by the people and maintain peace across the strait.
In January, Taiwanese voters disregarded China’s warnings and gave the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) a historic third term by electing Lai Ching-te. Beijing has since stepped up patrols around Taiwan’s frontline islands following the drowning of two Chinese fishermen in nearby waters.
Ma’s meeting with Xi also coincides with a hectic week of diplomatic activity in Washington, where President Joe Biden is due to host the first-ever summit between the leaders of the United States, Japan and the Philippines. Joint concerns about China’s growing assertiveness under Xi Jinping, including over Taiwan, are a key driver of the summit.
China intended to push the new Taiwanese Lai administration to adopt a more accommodating policy stance towards China, Amanda Hsiao, senior China analyst for the International Crisis Group, stated.
“Ma’s visit continues this effort by underscoring Beijing’s position that cross-strait dialogue is only possible with those in Taiwan who accept the idea that the two sides of the strait belong to one China.”
Ma remains a senior member of the Kuomintang (KMT), who has won a majority of seats in Taiwan’s parliamentary elections in January but failed to secure the presidency for a third straight time. However, few experts believed the meeting would lead to any significant change in China-Taiwan relations, Hsiao from International Crisis Group remarked.
The value of this meeting is primarily in its symbolism – an attempt to shape the cross-strait narrative to both parties’ favor while fundamental political differences remain.
