NANJING (TVBS News) — Taiwan's former President Ma Ying-jeou traveled to Nanjing on Tuesday (March 28) to visit Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum, marking the first stop of his 12-day journey in China.
At the mausoleum, the former Taiwanese leader looked solemn and took a deep bow before Dr. Sun's statue before presenting a flower wreath provided by officials to pay his respects.
He also showcased his calligraphy skills, writing out the dying words of the founding father of the Republic of China (R.O.C.), which called for peace and encouragement toward the people to save China.
As the issue of sovereignty remains a touchy issue in China, Ma covertly avoided using the R.O.C. calendar year in his calligraphy.
Instead, he merely wrote the Chinese number "102," indicating 2023 in the Gregorian calendar.
The R.O.C. calendar marks the establishment of the R.O.C. in Nanjing in 1912 and is widely used in Taiwan.