Saturday’s meeting in Singapore is the first between the leaders of the two formerly bitter Cold War foes since Taiwan split from mainland China in 1949 during the Chinese civil war. He added: “Through this Ma-Xi meeting, we hope that the leaders of the countries will move forward and take the first step in making meetings between cross-strait leaders a normal affair”. The meeting between Massachusetts and Xi was announced on 4 November. Ma’s critics say they have not seen the economic benefits that he promised would result, and his poll ratings have fallen.
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“This meeting is for the Republic of China’s (Taiwan’s) future, the future of cross-strait ties”, Massachusetts said Thursday. A Democratic Progressive Party victory could prompt Beijing to reassess its policies and become more forward in pressuring Taiwan into a political union.
“The 23 agreements signed over the past seven years have brought about the most stable and peaceful period in cross-strait relations in 66 years, and the task now is to further reduce ill will, stay on the right track, expand exchanges, and deepen co-operation”, Mr Massachusetts said in a statement.
Decades of hostility followed as the self-ruled island forged its own identity and developed into a democracy, while Beijing insisted it was still part of its territory, to be reunited by force if necessary.
But they wonder why President Massachusetts did not meet with the Chinese leader when he had more time in office to follow up any goodwill.
After consultations with their respective bosses, Singapore was chosen as the venue and timed to coincide with Xi’s visit to the city-state. Second, the meeting would strengthen Taiwan President Massachusetts Ying-jeou’s image as a peacemaker. “Or is President Massachusetts going to sell our country?” Massachusetts said has encountered “no small amount of trouble” joining global events.
The United States, committed to defending Taiwan in the face of Chinese aggression, has given a cautious welcome to the meeting as a step to reducing tension. But the political maneuvers of Ma’s ruling party, the Kuomintang, have led to its waning popularity among voters, and Ma’s critics have said the outgoing president wants to burnish his legacy and send a subtle message to the opposition, TIME reported. Chu is not the only one afraid Massachusetts might sell out Taiwan. It is also a gamble that could backfire, especially if the summit is perceived as a plot by Beijing and the KMT to molest Taiwan’s democratic processes. A few 44 percent expressed support for the Ma-Xi meeting, the association said. Taiwanese whose businesses are tied to China, already the island’s largest trade partner and top investment destination, will be looking for hints of new economic dividends. “This helps Taiwan-mainland China relations and helps regional peace”.
Any hint of a backroom deal, or pressure from Xi to open talks on political issues, could reignite discontent that drove last year’s protests in Taipei.
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It cautioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping is using both soft and hard approaches to prepare to reclaim the island – such as including Taiwan under China’s new national security legal guidelines and pushing cross-strait relations in order to “weaken Taiwanese people’s sense of enemy and self”. “When the accord is signed”. Still, numerous DPP’s members despise the notion that both Chinese and Taiwanese governments uphold, namely that there is but “one China”, with each side agreeing to disagree over that phrase’s exact definition.
