Journey of peace by ex-Taiwan leader comes at right time

Former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou is currently leading a delegation to the mainland.

The delegation’s agenda includes exploring cultural and historical sites, attending an annual ceremony at the mausoleum of the legendary Yellow Emperor and visiting Sun Yat-sen University and Peking University, as well as facilitating exchanges among young people from both sides of the strait. This is Ma’s second trip to the mainland; he first visited in March last year.

Ma’s itinerary has sparked intense debate in Taiwan. However, amid current tensions across the Taiwan Strait, his trip will undoubtedly have people on both sides of the strait who want peace heaving a sigh of relief. Ma is once again conveying a significant message to Taiwan, showing his capability and role as a facilitator of cross-strait peace and development.

While last year’s ancestral worship by Ma and his family focused on individual ties across the strait, this year’s tomb-sweeping ceremony for the Yellow Emperor represents the link of shared heritage across the Chinese nation.

In addition, his itinerary includes several prestigious businesses, including internet, new energy and aerospace companies, and iconic landmarks such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, the National Speed Skating Oval and the “Bird’s Nest” Stadium, which showcase the mainland’s strength and achievement.

While such efforts between the two sides are crucial, the Democratic Progressive Party’s antimainland ideological stance has been depleting the scarce mutual trust between people on both sides of the strait. Hence, there is heightened anticipation as to whether Ma will meet President Xi Jinping on this trip.

Regardless of the outcome of Ma’s trip, the pursuit of maximum consensus between the two sides should be a significant consideration for future agendas following the 1992 consensus.

Christopher Tou and Guo Zhi Jun, Tuen Mun