Office announced President of Taiwan Ma Ying-jeou said on Sunday that he will visit China this month, the first visit by a former or current Taiwanese leader to Beijing since the defeated Chinese government fled to the island in 1949.
The visit comes at a time Tensions are running high between Beijing and Taipei At a time when China continues its military and political pressure in an attempt to persuade Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty over it.
Ma Ying-jeou, who remains a senior member of Taiwan’s main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), held a historic meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in late 2015, shortly before the election of Taiwan’s incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen.
Ma Ying-jeou’s office said he will visit China from March 27 to April 7 and tour several cities.
The office added that it would meet with students and visit sites related to World War II and China’s conflict with Japan, as well as those related to the 1911 revolution that overthrew the last Chinese emperor, marking the proclamation of the Republic of China. The Republic of China is still the official name of Taiwan.
The office did not say whether President of Taiwan The former will meet with any Chinese officials or leaders.
