Ma Ying-jeou, a former president of Taiwan, told a top Chinese official on Thursday that Taiwan and China must take all measures to avoid conflict and that both parties' leaders must maintain peace.
Ma landed in China on Monday, making history as the first visiting Taiwanese president since 1949, when the Republic of China government fled to Taiwan after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communist forces.
At a meeting with Song Tao, the director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, in Wuhan, China, Ma Ying-jeou affirmed that the "mainstream" perspective of Taiwan supports a continued focus on fostering a peaceful and stable development of ties, according to Reuters.
According to a transcription from Ma's Taipei office, "principals" on both ends of the Taiwan Strait must pursue all peace-enhancing possibilities.
Ma Ying-jeou said: "The two sides must maintain exchanges, cooperate together, and do everything possible to avoid war and conflict."
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Ma Ying-jeou Campaigns for Peaceful China-Taiwan Ties
Before the election of his successor, Tsai Ing-wen, Ma Ying-jeou had the opportunity to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in 2015.
China is increasing military and political pressure on Taiwan to compel it to recognize Chinese sovereignty, thus his travel to China comes at a moment of heightened tension.
The former Taiwanese leader's office has confirmed he would attend any China-arranged meetings, per Business Times.
Ma Ying-jeou started the peacebuilding tour once China reopened its borders. Together with 30 Taiwanese students, he paid homage at the tomb of Sun Yat-sen, the man credited with establishing modern China., according to VOA.
Ma's historic visit happens as Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen tours in the US on her way to its Central American allies in the same week.
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