President Xi Jinping of China held a meeting with Taiwan’s Former President Ma Ying-jeou. This marks their first encounter since their noteworthy handshake in Singapore nine years ago.
What Happened: The leaders aimed to project a reconciliatory image despite the ongoing cross-strait tensions. Xi asserted that “foreign interference cannot stop the historic trend of reunification,” while Ma emphasized the need to avoid conflict, reported South China Morning Post on Wednesday.
Ma’s Beijing visit comes on the heels of his tour of several other Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, Zhuhai, and Xian. This visit takes place amid escalating tensions, with the independence-leaning William Lai Ching-te set to take over Taiwan’s presidency in just over a month.
"War between the two sides would be unbearable, and the two sides of the [Taiwan] strait have the wisdom to avoid conflict," Ma said.
These tensions have also affected US-China relations, with Xi cautioning U.S. President Joe Biden that Taiwan is a “red line” for Beijing. The US, while not recognizing Taiwan as independent, opposes ...