Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who embarked on a 10-day, 9-night trip to Central America via the United States under the name of “Democratic Partnership, Public Prosperity,” arrived in New York, the United States, on the 29th (local time). Former President Ma Ying-jeou, who is visiting mainland China for the first time among former and incumbent Taiwanese presidents since the civil war ended, laid a wreath at a memorial facility for victims of the Nanjing Massacre by the Japanese Army. On this day, President Tsai arrived in New York, USA, his stopover to go to Guatemala and Belize, which have diplomatic relations with China. The United States reported that dozens of supporters welcomed Tsai in front of the New York hotel where she stayed, waving Taiwanese and American flags. Across the street, hundreds of supporters of the Chinese government confronted them, waving Chinese flags and holding up signs denouncing Tsai as a “traitor.” The US police cut off contact between them in the middle. Taiwanese media reported that President Tsai will meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles, California on the 5th of next month, on the way back from his tour. When then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August of last year, China reacted strongly enough to engage in high-intensity military drills encircling the entire island of Taiwan.
White House National Security Council (NSC) Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said in a briefing that day, “President Tsai’s trip to (Central America) is a decision by Taiwan, and a transit is not a visit. “It is private and unofficial,” he said. “China should not use this transit as an excuse to intensify its aggressive actions along the Taiwan Strait.” On the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Maoning said in response to Kirby’s remarks, “China is not overreacting, but the United States is blindly acquiescing and supporting the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.” Although China is protesting, there are many expectations that it will not conduct large-scale military drills again, as it did when then-House Speaker Pelosi visited Taiwan last year.
Former President Ma Ying-jeou (KMT), who started his 12-day, 11-night visit to China on the 27th, two days before Tsai’s departure, visited the “Nanjing Massacre Victims Memorial Hall” and laid a wreath, Taiwan reported. Former President Ma said, “The Chinese people must be self-reliant and self-reliant, regardless of which side of the strait (Taiwan Strait) they are on, and must bravely resist bullying from the outside.” He also said, “Both sides (China and Taiwan) should seek peace and avoid war.” China welcomes the visit of former President Ma, who emphasizes exchanges and cooperation with China, but the state media does not air scenes where former President Ma mentions Taiwan’s official name, “Republic of China.” China’s state-run Central Television (CCTV) said that when former President Ma visited Sun Yat-sen’s tomb in Nanjing on the 28th, he mentioned the Republic of China several times, but this scene was not shown, Taiwan reported. Reporter Jo Ki-won garden@hani.co.kr
