Former President Ma Ying-jeou, who belongs to Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, began his visit to China on the 27th. This is the first visit to China by a former Taiwanese president, and the Chinese side welcomes it, but the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) criticizes it as "sending the wrong message to the international community."
From the 27th to the 7th of next month, President Ma will visit Nanjing, which was the capital when the Kuomintang ruled mainland China, and Hunan Province, where his ancestors are from.
President Ma will be accompanied by young Taiwanese people and will interact with Chinese students.
Prior to his departure, President Ma said, "I hope that the enthusiastic exchange of young people will improve the atmosphere on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and bring peace sooner."
This is the first visit to China by a former Taiwanese president, and President Ma welcomes the Chinese side because he believes that "mainland China and Taiwan both belong to one China," and there is a possibility of meeting with high-ranking officials.
In response, the DPP, which does not accept "one China," criticized Honduras, a Central American country, for severing diplomatic relations with China and Taiwan, saying, "Visiting China at this time is the very essence of conciliationism and sends a wrong message to the international community."
At the airport, groups advocating unification with China held banners in support of former President Ma's visit to China, and groups advocating Taiwan independence voiced their opposition to the former president's visit to China, causing a temporary uproar.
Meanwhile, President Tsai Ing-wen is scheduled to begin a visit to two Central American countries through the United States from May 1, where she will meet with House Speaker McCarthy.