To counter, Ma and his camp have emphasised the visit’s stated focus on paying respects to his ancestors buried there, and on leading a delegation of students. Ma remains closely tied to the Kuomintang (KMT) party and his visit has been criticised by Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive party (DPP), which accused him of “endorsing” Beijing’s Taiwan policy with his trip. Taiwan independence activists gather outside Taoyuan airport to protest against Ma Ying-jeou’s visit to China. In the run-up to Taiwan’s presidential election early next year, the visits have thrown up a host of questions about how the two sides of politics are dealing with China and with the US – the two most significant foreign factors in Taiwan’s future. The visit also comes at the same time as a significant trip by the current president, Tsai Ing-wen, to the US and Central America this week.
Ma’s arrival has reportedly been given head-of-state-level security, and he was reportedly met on arrival by a deputy director of China’s Taiwan affairs office on Monday. The symbolism of any Taiwanese leader visiting China is significant, and drew protesters to the airport in Taipei. “We sincerely hope the two sides will work together to pursue peace, avoid war, and strive to revitalise China … This is an unavoidable responsibility of Chinese people on both sides of the strait, and we must work hard.” “People on both sides of the Taiwan strait are Chinese people, and are both descendants of the Yan and Yellow emperors,” he said, using Chinese terms that referred to ethnicity, not nationality. But Ma, president from 2008 to 2016, believes he can help the peace process.
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