Former Taiwan Leader Ma Ying-jeou Visits China to Promote Cross-Strait Peace

Ma's visit comes during heightened tensions, with military drills around Taiwan increasing and political relations strained since 2016.

Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan's former president, has begun a nine-day trip to China, accompanied by a delegation of Taiwanese university students.
The visit aims to foster peace and understanding through youth exchanges, as Ma emphasizes the importance of reducing cross-strait conflicts through dialogue.
Tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated, with Beijing conducting its largest maritime military drills in years and increasing military presence near the island.
Ma, a member of Taiwan's Kuomintang party, led the island from 2008 to 2016, a period marked by warmer relations with China, including a historic 2015 summit with Xi Jinping.
The trip follows a rare visit by Chinese officials to Taiwan and occurs under the backdrop of strained relations since the Democratic Progressive Party took power in 2016.