A day after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou held historic talks in Singapore, Tsai Ing-wen, leader of Taiwan’s independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, said the leaders’ meeting had done nothing to make Taiwan’s people feel safer.
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“The meeting between Xi and Ma will have a huge influence on changing the political atmosphere in Taiwan and will play an important role in stabilizing cross-Straits peaceful development”, said Li in an inteview with China Daily.
There’s one exception, though-and we have Marco Rubio, the USA senator and presidential candidate, to thank for pointing it out.
China and Taiwan have grown closer since Ma became president in 2008, following more than 20 agreements that the term-limited-and highly unpopular-Ma has signed with China.
“Both sides should respect each other’s values and way of life”, he said, in an indirect plea for China to recognize Taiwan’s democracy.
The Communist Party of China took power in the mainland and the Kuomintang forces fled to Taiwan and formed their own government on the island, cutting off contacts with the mainland.
Xi brought to the meal a famous spirit from Guizhou province, while Ma brought wine and spirits from two groups of islets just off the mainland that Taiwan forces have occupied since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.
He believes leaders of both Taiwan and China will have the wisdom to deal with the issue wisely, he noted.
Ma’s China-friendly government had explained to the public that the “China” of the 1992 Consensus refers to the Republic of China, seeking to show that no concessions have been made on Taiwanese sovereignty.
However, Ma said at a post-meeting news conference that he discussed with Xi the Taiwanese people’s desire for greater participation in global society, particularly for nongovernmental organizations. Significantly, he said Mr Xi understood Taiwan’s desire for a bigger worldwide presence and would be welcome to take part in the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. But, the meeting is more about the symbolism of coming together than about substance.
Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists, known in Chinese as the Kuomintang (KMT), retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the civil war to the Communists, who are still in charge in Beijing.
“We’re very willing to keep talking and communicating”.
China’s national broadcaster CCTV did not carry Mr Ma’s comments live, immediately cutting away to analysts in the studio after Mr Xi had completed his opening remarks.
The two leaders are to attend a dinner later in the evening.
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Before meeting privately, the two men read from prepared statements, with Xi speaking for about three minutes and Ma for seven. “This is clearly ludicrous, but Ma did not challenge him on it. This point was the single most jarring moment for me”, Sullivan said.
