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After Taiwan broke off diplomatic relations with Honduras, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou began to visit the mainland at the end of March, visiting Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan and Chongqing. He met Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, and sang “The Moon Represents My Heart” on Hunan Satellite TV. However, he talked about the “Republic of China” and “one China” in Changsha, triggering a war of words with Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council.
Although Ma Ying-jeou is the first Taiwan serving or outgoing leader to visit the mainland since the cross-strait was divided in 1949, it is regarded as a historic breakthrough. However, scholars concerned about the cross-strait situation told the BBC that this visit to the mainland will not have much impact on cross-strait relations and Taiwan’s general election next year. Whether he can succeed Lien Chan as the “new cross-strait bridge” remains to be seen under the current internal and external situation.
War of Words with MAC
Ma Ying-jeou’s itinerary on the 12th covers Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha, and Chongqing. In addition to some private itineraries in Hunan where he returned home to worship his ancestors, he visited many historical memorials related to the period of the Republic of China, such as the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Wuchang Revolution of 1911. Uprising Memorial, etc.
Last Sunday, Ma Ying-jeou also held a discussion with mainland students at Hunan University. Taiwan’s “China Times” reported that Ma Ying-jeou said: “When the Constitution of the Republic of China was amended, China was divided into two parts; at the same time, Article 2 of the Regulations on Relations Between the People of the Republic of China and the Taiwan Strait defined what is called the Taiwan area and what is called the mainland area. The former It is Taiwan, Penghu, Jinma, and the mainland is the territory outside of Taiwan, Penghu, Jinma.”
“So no matter in Taiwan, in the mainland, or in the constitution of the Republic of China, it belongs to one China. We belong to the Taiwan region, and you belong to the mainland region.” Ma Ying-jeou said.
Ma Ying-jeou also talked about the mainland’s definition of “one China”, saying that in the preface of the mainland’s 1983 “Constitution”, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, which is a very clear fact. He believes that although the two sides of the strait belong to two sides, and both sides have their own systems and policies, he hopes that everyone will work hard to reduce unnecessary estrangement so that the two sides can communicate sincerely.
The “China Times” pointed out that at that time, the Taiwanese students applauded loudly, and some people applauded, while the students from the mainland were slightly embarrassed and just clapped their hands politely.
The Kuomintang described Ma Ying-jeou’s cross-strait remarks as “polishing the brand name of the Republic of China” and “resolutely defending national sovereignty”, but mainland official media did not report his remarks. Ma Ying-jeou’s remarks sparked a war of words with Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council.
Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou visited the Nanjing Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum at the first stop of his first visit to mainland China, saying that he would “work together to avoid war.”
The MAC pointed out that the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China states that “Taiwan is part of the sacred territory of the People’s Republic of China.” To transform Taiwan is to seriously deviate from the fact that Taiwan has never belonged to the People’s Republic of China, and to harm the dignity of national sovereignty.
“Former President Ma sang and echoed the CCP’s attempt to encroach on Taiwan’s ‘one-China principle’ proposition, which completely runs counter to the perception of the Taiwanese people. We express our deep regret.” The MAC said.
However, Ma Ying-jeou’s office responded that the MAC is blatantly advocating the two-state theory, which seriously violates the Constitution of the Republic of China, and asked President Tsai Ing-wen to express his position. Is this the government’s position? If so, please announce the abolition of the MAC and openly admit that mainland China is another country.
The MAC also responded that the Republic of China is a sovereign country, Taiwan has never been a part of the People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not affiliated to each other.
Chen Cheng, a professor of political science at the State University of New York at Albany, believes that Ma Ying-jeou, as the former president of the “Republic of China”, said that it is not surprising that the mainland and Taiwan belong to the same Republic of China.
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Ma Ying-jeou met with Song Tao, director of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, in Wuhan.
“Essentially, this is an argument of ‘one China, each table’,” Chen Cheng pointed out to the BBC. “However, as Taiwan’s current government has long refused to accept the ’92 Consensus’, Ma’s statement is meaningless. Of course, the mainland government will not comment on the practical significance.”
Lin Yuxiang, an assistant professor at the School of International Studies at the University of Washington, also pointed out to the BBC that the statement that “both the Taiwan region and the mainland region belong to the Republic of China” represents the long-term view of the KMT.
“However, recently, Taiwan’s public opinion has gradually disapproved of this view, so I think this statement is for the mainland. Although Beijing does not recognize the ‘Republic of China’ as an institution, the ‘Republic of China’ still represents a concept of ‘China’, And it’s much better for Beijing than ‘Republic of Taiwan’,” he said.
Fan Shiping, a professor at the Institute of Political Science at Taiwan Normal University, commented on social media that what Ma Ying-jeou wants to highlight is “one China, two governments”. One China has two governments. But China believes that the one China is exclusively enjoyed by the People’s Republic of China, “So Ma is simply wishful thinking, but fell into the trap of China’s ‘one China’.”
The meaning of the mainland tour
Before Ma Ying-jeou started his visit to the mainland, Honduras (Honduras) announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and then established diplomatic relations with China. 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.
The severance of diplomatic relations has also had a negative impact on Ma Ying-jeou’s itinerary. Many Taiwanese believe that he should not visit the mainland at this time, even though Ma Ying-jeou’s trip is mostly for ancestor worship and exchanges.
Lin Yuxiang believes that Ma Ying-jeou’s visit to the mainland will not have much impact on cross-strait relations and Taiwan’s general election. Although Ma Ying-jeou is the former president of Taiwan, he cannot lead the future of the Kuomintang.
“I think his visit belongs to the existing foreign policy of the Kuomintang, which is to develop the relationship between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and to prove that the Kuomintang can have harmonious talks with the government of the People’s Republic of China,” Lin Yuxiang said.
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Chen Cheng also believes that Ma Ying-jeou’s private visit to the mainland this time will have limited influence on easing cross-strait relations and Taiwan’s general election next year.
“Honduras recently broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan and established diplomatic relations with the mainland. It should have been brewing for some time. It is not so much that Ma Ying-jeou’s visit is related to this, but it is hoped to form a certain relationship with Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the United States and the possible talks with the US Speaker. Hedging, on the one hand, shows to the mainland that Taiwan does not just have ‘Taiwan independence’; on the other hand, it also shows to the island that the Kuomintang has the ability to ease cross-strait relations, and injects a shot in the arm for the Kuomintang’s currently unfavorable election situation.”
ma ying jeou’s role
According to Xinhua News Agency, during the meeting with Ma Ying-jeou, Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, conveyed the cordial greetings from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Ma Ying-jeou, and fully affirmed Ma Ying-jeou’s important contribution to the development of cross-strait relations.
Lin Quanzhong, a former associate researcher at Taiwan’s Academia Sinica, commented that after Ma Ying-jeou stepped down as Taiwan’s president in 2016, Beijing considered him to succeed Lien Chan as a suitable candidate for “cross-strait bridge”.
However, he said that seven years after Ma Ying-jeou left office, cross-strait relations have undergone considerable changes due to the Democratic Progressive Party Tsai Ing-wen’s coming to power and continuing to be in power. Ma Ying-jeou’s thinking and deployment as a “new cross-strait bridge” have not changed, but whether Ma Ying-jeou can successfully play the role Beijing expects in the future is still unknown.”
Chen Cheng also believes that Ma Ying-jeou’s trip this time shows his recognition of his “Chinese” identity, which can win the favor of some people in the mainland, but it has limited significance in the overall situation of the Taiwan Strait.
She pointed out that the mainland’s response to the visit to Malaysia is relatively low-key at present, and no high-level officials have been sent to receive it. Media reports and social media popularity are limited. Officials pay more attention to the visit of the ruling Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States. Many people in Taiwan also regard Ma as a past politician and have a cold reaction to this visit. The possibility of Qiankun is no longer expected.”
