Former Taiwan President Ma open to meeting leaders on landmark China trip
The Hindu
He will be the first former or current Taiwanese President to visit China since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 at the end of a civil war
Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou is "at his host's disposal" when it comes to meetings with senior leaders during a trip to China this month, but there are no plans for him to visit Beijing, a senior official from Mr. Ma's office said on Monday.
Mr. Ma will be the first former or current Taiwanese President to visit China since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 at the end of a civil war with the Communists, where it remains to this day.
The trip comes at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Taipei as China keeps up its military and political pressure to try and get democratically-elected Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty.
Mr. Ma met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in late 2015 shortly before now Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen won a presidential election.
Ma Ying-jeou Foundation director Hsiao Hsu-tsen told reporters that the March 27-April 7 is mostly about student exchanges and to pay respects to the graves of Ma's ancestors in China.
"The trip is to central China, we have not arranged to go to Beijing," Mr. Hsiao said.
He would not rule out meetings with senior officials when asked if Mr. Ma might have another get together with Mr. Xi.
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