He has signed a series of landmark business and tourism deals, though there has been no progress in resolving their political differences.
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Tsai Ying-wen, DPP presidential candidate, said she was “very surprised” at the unexpected summit announcement. “…to let the people know in such a hasty and chaotic manner is damaging to Taiwan’s democracy”. And Cheng Yun-peng, a party spokesman, said the timing was suspect.
“How could anyone not think that this is a political operation to influence the election”. A few analysts says this could backfire, given increasing anti-China protests, especially among the young.
The two-part meeting includes one session open to media and another behind closed doors, said Zhang Zhijun, who is also head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, when interviewed at the Zijinshan Summit for Entrepreneurs across the Taiwan Strait.
This combination of file photos shows Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Small groups of protesters gathered outside Taiwan’s parliament on Wednesday”. The communist Chinese have controlled mainland China since 1949.
The goal of Ma’s trip was to “consolidate cross-strait peace and maintain the status quo”, his office said.
Zhao also said that the geopolitical questions in the region, such as the South China Sea and East China Sea disputes, economic and trade issues such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement “also concern both countries’ relations”.
“The mainland’s attitude on a meeting between leaders from both sides of the Taiwan Strait is positive and consistent”.
At that time, Chinese leaders promised a “one country two systems” policy for the Hong Kongese.
In a press conference that day, DPP Legislator and caucus whip Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) said Ma had in 2012 laid out the preconditions for a Ma-Xi meeting, including “national need, public support and legislative oversight”. “Ma is sneaking around to sell off Taiwan”.
“It’s hard not to see this as a subtle or not-so-subtle attempt to influence the outcome of the elections”, said J. Michael Cole, a Taipei-based fellow at the Nottingham University’s China Policy Institute.
In 1945, leaders from both the sides shook hands when Mao Zedong met Chang-Kai-Shek at a banquet before the split. “This has to be the basis of the relationship”.
The meeting Saturday will be the first between Taiwanese and Chinese leaders since 1949 and authorities in China are predicting it will be a “major historic milestone” in the development of cross-strait relations.
The Chinese government threatens to make use of military force against Taiwan if it tries to acquire outright autonomy. In 1996, then-Chinese President Jiang Zemin ordered war games and missile tests in the Taiwan strait in a bid to intimidate voters against re-electing President Lee Teng-hui, who China believed was moving the island closer towards formal independence.
“This kind of situation needs to be explained fully to the people and calm down the anxiety of the people in Taiwan that President Ma has not over-promised China anything that would hamper Taiwan’s current status and its long term interests”, Joseph Wu, secretary-general of the DPP, told Reuters.
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Mr Ma steps down having served two periods, and earlier this month its nominee lost for January’s presidential election carrying out a few lousy evaluations.
