Taiwan’s former President Ma Ying Jeou traveled to China on Monday for the first time for a 12-day visit, becoming the island’s first former leader to visit mainland China, which refuses to recognize the territory’s independence.
His visit comes precisely in the midst of increasing tension between China and Taiwan and one day after Honduras broke diplomatic relations with Taipei on Sunday to establish them with Beijing, according to reports in the ‘Taipei Times’ newspaper.
Taiwan’s presidential office on Monday urged Chinese authorities to receive Ma as a former head of state, as required by international diplomatic protocol.
Before his departure, Ma, 73, of the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang), said he wants to honor his ancestors and organize student exchanges. »I hope these contacts will foster a better relationship and bring peace faster and sooner than expected,» he said.
A spokeswoman for the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party criticized the visit, saying the Kuomintang »ignores the fact that China is trying to suppress Taiwan» and called on the former president to cancel his trip.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
