TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) met with the director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office (國台辦) on Wednesday (Dec. 18), expressing gratitude and greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Ma, leading a delegation of Taiwanese students, emphasized the deep ties between the two sides.
Ma noted this visit marked his third trip to China, underscoring the significance of cross-strait relations. He acknowledged the warm arrangements made by Song Tao (宋濤), director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, and conveyed sincere thanks and regards to Xi.
Ma's foundation recently invited a Chinese student group to Taiwan, an initiative criticized by the Democratic Progressive Party (民進黨) but widely supported by the Taiwanese public, according to the former president. During the meeting, Ma reiterated that there are no winners in war and no losers in peace, urging the Chinese people from both sides of the straits to resolve disputes wisely and maintain peace.
He reaffirmed the importance of the "1992 Consensus" (九二共識) and opposition to Taiwanese independence as a shared political foundation, highlighting the unity of the Chinese nation. During this trip, Ma plans to attend the "Ice and Snow Festival" (冰雪節) in Harbin and visit Chengdu, Sichuan (四川成都).
