Former Taiwan Leader Ma Ying-jeou to Visit Mainland for Ancestral Tribute, Student Exchange

(MENAFN) Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou is set to visit the mainland on March 27 to pay respects to his ancestors ahead of the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-sweeping Day. A spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Ma Xiaoguang, extended a welcome to Ma and expressed the mainland's willingness to facilitate his visit.

Ma Ying-jeou will also lead a group of Taiwan students who will come to the mainland for communication and exchanges. This visit is aimed at enhancing communication and creating new impetus for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

According to Ma Xiaoguang, paying respects to ancestors around the Qingming Festival is a tradition shared by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The spokesperson emphasized the importance of communication and exchanges between young people from both sides, as they can play a significant role in promoting peaceful cross-Strait relations.

The visit of Ma Ying-jeou, who served as Taiwan's president from 2008 to 2016, is expected to receive significant attention from both sides of the Strait. Ma has previously advocated for closer cross-Strait ties and has been involved in several high-profile meetings with mainland officials.

The welcoming statement from the mainland indicates a willingness to continue communication and exchanges with Taiwan, despite ongoing tensions between the two sides. In recent years, cross-Strait relations have been strained due to disputes over issues such as sovereignty and political independence.

Nevertheless, officials from both sides have expressed a desire to maintain stability and peaceful development in the region. Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the mainland is a small but significant step towards achieving this goal, as it provides an opportunity for communication and exchange between young people from Taiwan and the mainland.

MENAFN21032023000045014228ID1105826346