Ma Ying-jeou's Revisit to China Mainland in 2024: Valuable Actions to Promote Peace and Exchange

Reportedly, Ma Ying-jeou will visit the Mainland in April 2024, where he will participate in a series of activities in Xi'an, Guangzhou, Beijing, and may also meet with Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping. This visit comes a year after Ma Ying-jeou's last visit to the Mainland in March 2023.

As the first former president of Taiwan to visit the Mainland, Ma Ying-jeou's visit holds significant symbolic importance, attracting widespread attention and fierce controversy from Taiwan, Mainland China, and other countries overseas.

Over the past two years, with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the formation and opposition of the two major camps in the world (the pro-Ukraine liberal democratic camp and the pro-Russia authoritarian camp), tensions in the Taiwan Strait have escalated. Speculations about the possibility of Mainland China using military force against Taiwan have been hotly debated, with the United States, Japan, Europe, and other countries intervening in the Taiwan issue in various ways, further intensifying the situation in the Taiwan Strait.

In such circumstances, Ma Ying-jeou's two visits to the Mainland, accompanied by his family and leading many young students, have sparked even more controversy.

In Taiwan, due to the prevailing anti-Communist and anti-Mainland sentiment in recent years, most Taiwanese naturally hold a critical attitude towards Ma Ying-jeou's visits. They believe that in the current highly confrontational situation between the two sides of the strait, Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the Mainland is a "sell-out" and "surrender," undermining the morale of Taiwanese people's "resistance to China and protection of Taiwan." Some commentators also believe that Ma Ying-jeou's visit amounts to a "gift" to the Communist Party of China, which could be exploited and used to further infiltrate and eventually occupy Taiwan. Some commentators also engage in personal attacks, suggesting that Ma Ying-jeou is paving the way for personal gain, hoping to receive "rewards" from the CCP and to secure a position under CCP rule after Taiwan's downfall.

Of course, there are voices expressing understanding and appreciation for Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the Mainland, but they are relatively few and mainly come from Chinese officials and some individuals in the West. Only a few members of the Kuomintang in Taiwan have expressed limited support for the former president and party chairman. Overall, criticism outweighs praise. Among Chinese political dissidents, criticism of Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the Mainland is almost unanimous.

As a political dissident myself, I have a relatively different assessment and hold a positive view of Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the Mainland.

I have always had a favorable impression of Mr. Ma Ying-jeou. This is not only because his political stance aligns with mine, but also because of his character and morals that are worthy of respect.

In the 1990s, Ma Ying-jeou was one of the few political figures in Taiwan who had a strong sense of Chinese national identity, full of national sentiments, genuinely cared about Mainland China and its people, and had a deep longing for the country's democratic reunification. During Ma Ying-jeou's presidency, the concept of "one family across the strait" was implemented in various economic, cultural, and social fields, leading to unprecedented closeness and friendliness between the people on both sides. Although there was still political opposition, the level of peaceful coexistence in the Taiwan Strait and the level of cross-strait cooperation reached historic highs during Ma Ying-jeou's era.

Ma Ying-jeou also showed great concern for human rights, cultural education, and social welfare on the Mainland. Every year on the anniversary of the June 4th incident, Ma Ying-jeou would publish articles expressing condolences for the students and civilians who perished in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, emphasizing the necessity and importance of China's democratization. On other important occasions such as Victory Day, Ma Ying-jeou also published articles commemorating them. He cared for both Taiwan and the Mainland, embodying a true politician who cherished the entire territory of the Republic of China, remembered the glory and suffering in Chinese history, and cared for all compatriots.

During his presidency, Ma Ying-jeou also posthumously awarded a commendation to the Chinese-American author Iris Chang, praising her for dedicating her life to writing "The Rape of Nanking," which raised awareness and understanding of the Nanjing Massacre. This also reflects Ma Ying-jeou's love for the Chinese nation, his concern for the tragic history of the Mainland, and his commendation and remembrance of those who contributed to the Chinese nation within his capacity.

Throughout his active decades in Taiwan, whether as Chiang Ching-kuo's secretary, later becoming president, or as a civilian after stepping down from leadership, Ma Ying-jeou has maintained outstanding moral qualities and noble character. Compared to other Taiwanese politicians plagued by scandals, Ma Ying-jeou is one of the few politicians with almost no blemishes, known for his integrity, accessibility, and articulate manners, truly an exemplary figure.

In conclusion, Mr. Ma Ying-jeou is a sincere lover of the Chinese nation, genuinely hoping for the democratic reunification of China, and a person of high moral character. Such a person would not sell out or kneel for fame and fortune.

Ma Ying-jeou's choice to visit the Mainland at this time is aimed at making the utmost effort to promote peace and communication across the strait, reduce unnecessary hostility and miscalculations, and defuse another crisis in the Taiwan Strait. Recent incidents such as the collision in Kinmen and subsequent conflicts have further heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait, making it susceptible to "accidental" clashes.

Over the past two years, Ma Ying-jeou has repeatedly reminded the Tsai Ing-wen government to avoid escalating tensions with the Mainland as much as possible. However, in the context of tense cross-strait relations and the firm stance of the Democratic Progressive Party government on "resisting China and protecting Taiwan," Ma Ying-jeou's appeals have had little effect. Nevertheless, Ma Ying-jeou continues to advocate for peace. His decision to visit the Mainland for two consecutive years is also a carefully considered one.

In 2023, Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the Mainland as the first former Taiwanese leader to do so was supposed to be significant and deserving of a grand reception. However, upon Ma Ying-jeou's arrival in Nanjing, he was only greeted by a deputy director from the Taiwan Affairs Office, and the welcoming ceremony was simple, indicating a lack of enthusiasm from the Mainland towards Ma Ying-jeou's visit. This also reflects Ma Ying-jeou's awkward position of not pleasing either side, which he likely anticipated before his visit.

In fact, whether from Taiwan's pro-independence camp or the Mainland's radical pro-unification faction, there have been numerous expressions of opposition to Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the Mainland, accompanied by intense criticism directed at him, with some remarks being extremely malicious and insulting.

Nevertheless, despite this, Ma Ying-jeou resolutely embarked on his journey to the Mainland last time, and a year later, he visited again, proving his sincere dedication to promoting peace and communication across the strait, regardless of personal gains or losses. During his previous visit, he led dozens of young students to the Mainland, reflecting his consistent emphasis on education, nurturing the younger generation, and promoting cross-strait youth exchanges.

During his last visit, Ma Ying-jeou explicitly stated at Hunan University that "both sides of the strait belong to the Republic of China," emphasizing the existence of the Republic of China and defending its dignity. This proves that Ma Ying-jeou is not the "traitor" or "pro-Communist bootlicker" as some have claimed, but rather reflects his firm commitment to the legal legacy of the Republic of China and the aspirations of Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

In the 2024 Taiwan presidential election, the Democratic Progressive Party's Lai Ching-te won, while the Kuomintang suffered defeat. Localism and pro-independence sentiments in Taiwan gained more ground. Ma Ying-jeou is concerned that under the leadership of the Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan will further alienate from the Mainland, deepening the estrangement between the two sides. Therefore, Ma Ying-jeou chose to visit the Mainland again, hoping to prevent further confrontation between the two sides and maintain limited exchanges and goodwill across the strait.

Although in the current situation in the Taiwan Strait and the international arena, as well as the relatively unfavorable political climate on both sides, Ma Ying-jeou's visit is unlikely to change reality significantly, its impact is very limited. However, Ma Ying-jeou's visit appears even more precious, reflecting the efforts of some individuals to facilitate communication and relaxation amid the perilous situation across the strait and internationally, which is difficult and deserving of respect and cherishment.

As a writer originating from mainland China, I, like Mr. Ma Ying-jeou, support the reunification of the two sides on the basis of democracy. Of course, regardless of the system, national reunification should respect the will of the majority of people on both sides and should not be achieved through military force. If war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, it will only bring suffering to the people and is entirely unnecessary.

The current ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan, while upholding freedom and democracy, does not care about the people on the Mainland and has no intention of promoting democratization in mainland China. They only hope to maintain the status quo of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu. This is a narrow-minded stance. Moreover, if the mainland remains under the dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party, and its people are brainwashed and manipulated, there can be no true peace in the Taiwan Strait, and democratic Taiwan will always face the threat of CCP's authoritarian China. Therefore, only when mainland China also achieves democracy, and both sides of the strait adhere to universal values, can there be genuine and lasting peace.

I hope that Taiwan can have more people like Mr. Ma Ying-jeou, who, on the one hand, firmly believe in the universal values of freedom and democracy, and on the other hand, care about mainland compatriots and the sufferings of over a billion people on the more than 9 million square kilometers of territory that still belongs to the Republic of China in name, and strive to promote democracy and political pluralism in all of China, realizing the ideals of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's "Three Principles of the People," the revival of the Chinese nation, peace in the Asia-Pacific region, and prosperity in the world.