Taiwan, China must do 'everything possible' to avoid war: Former president Ma
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Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou (left) with Mr Song Tao, head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, in Wuhan, China.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TAIPEI - Taiwan and China must do everything possible to avoid war, and it is the responsibility of both sides’ leaders to ensure peace, former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou told a senior Chinese official on Thursday.
Mr Ma arrived in China on Monday,
Meeting Mr Song Tao, head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, Mr Ma said maintaining the peaceful and stable development of relations is the “general mainstream view of Taiwanese society”.
It is the common responsibility of the “principals” on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to strive for all opportunities that are conducive to enhancing peace, Mr Ma said, according to a transcript of his comments provided by his office in Taipei.
“The two sides must maintain exchanges, cooperate together, and do everything possible to avoid war and conflict.”
China’s official Xinhua news agency cited Mr Song as telling Mr Ma that people in China and Taiwan should both “resolutely oppose Taiwan independence separatist activities and interference from external forces, and jointly safeguard the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait”.
Mr Ma is visiting China at a time of heightened tensions between Taipei and Beijing. by force if necessary.
Mr Ma, who was in office from 2008 to 2016, met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in late 2015, shortly before current Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen was elected.
Mr Ma is not scheduled to see Mr Xi on this trip, but Mr Ma’s office has said he is open to whatever meetings China sets up.
Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party has criticised Mr Ma’s trip, saying he should use the opportunity to tell Mr Xi to stop China’s almost daily military harassment of the island.
Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, of which Mr Ma is a senior member, says it is vital to speak to China to try and lessen tensions. REUTERS
