Taipei: Former President Ma Ying-jeou will attend the Straits Forum in the Chinese city of Xiamen when he takes a group of students from Taiwan on a two-week trip to China on Saturday, an official from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation said Wednesday.
According to Focus Taiwan, Ma and a group of Taiwanese students will depart on Saturday and attend the 17th edition of the Straits Forum in Xiamen, which starts on Sunday. They will then head to Gansu province in northwestern China for cultural activities and to learn about the Silk Road, as stated by foundation chief executive Hsiao Hsu-tsen.
In Gansu, Ma and the student group will attend an annual ceremony on June 21 commemorating Emperor Fuxi, who is credited with starting Chinese civilization. Dunhuang, a key hub on the Silk Road, is another stop in Gansu, where Ma and the students will learn more about the historic trade route connecting Chinese civilization to the world.
The students are participating in the foundation’s Da Jeou Academy, which promotes exchanges between youth in Taiwan and China. Ma has undertaken three visits to China personally to advance this initiative, Hsiao mentioned. The academy was established to encourage youth participation in public affairs in Taiwan by organizing events, talks, and visits for students under the age of 30.
Hsiao previously visited Beijing with over 30 Taiwanese students in February, while Ma has also facilitated student visits to the United States, Singapore, and the United Kingdom since 2023. Hsiao emphasized that these visits, along with trips organized for Chinese university students to Taiwan, aim to reduce hostility across the Taiwan Strait by fostering engagement among young people on both sides.
Ma is dedicated to promoting exchanges to pave the way for peace across the Taiwan Strait, as peace and stability between the two sides are increasingly important in light of the “reciprocal tariffs” announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Hsiao added.
In Beijing, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office, stated that China welcomes Ma and the group he will lead. More than 7,000 delegates representing Taiwan’s political parties, business groups, and industries are expected to attend the week-long “civilian and grassroots” event.
However, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) in Taipei has labeled the Straits Forum a platform for China’s “united front” efforts against Taiwan. This stance was first adopted by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party when it was in opposition during the first Straits Forum in 2009, Ma’s second year in office.
In a statement on Wednesday, the MAC, Taiwan’s top agency in charge of cross-strait affairs, urged Ma, as a former head of state, to be more sensitive to mainstream public opinion in Taiwan and make decisions aligning with the country’s overall interests. The MAC reminded Ma to abide by laws governing cross-strait affairs and cautioned him against cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party in any way that undermines Taiwan’s sovereignty.