Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou plans third visit to mainland China in 2 years

Ma will lead a youth delegation to northeast and southwest on a nine-day trip this month in another push to boost people-to-people exchanges

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Ma Ying-jeou (centre), a former Taiwanese leader and former chairman of the Kuomintang party, will pay his third visit to the mainland in two years to promote youth exchanges. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:00pm, 11 Dec 2024

Former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou will visit mainland China later this month, his third visit in the past two years, in another push to promote people-to-people exchanges amid elevated cross-strait tensions.

Ma will lead a delegation of Taiwanese youth to visit the cities of Harbin in the northeast and Chengdu in the southwest on a nine-day trip from December 18, according to official announcements from both sides.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that Beijing welcomes the visit and “will make proper arrangements for all activities”.

“Young people on both sides carry the future and hope of cross-strait relations. We hope that compatriots on both sides, especially young friends, will engage in frequent exchanges and interactions … and work hand in hand to foster cross-strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields,” Zhu said.

Former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou waves as he leaves Taoyuan in April. Photo: AP

The announcement of Ma’s trip came just days after a group of students and faculty from mainland universities, including two Olympic champions, finished a nine-day trip to Taiwan at the invitation of Ma.