TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A sharp exchange over cross-strait policy erupted on Monday (June 16) when Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑), executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation (馬英九基金會), defended the former Taiwanese president's participation in a China-sponsored forum against government criticism. Hsiao insisted that former President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) appearance at the Straits Forum (海峽論壇), a high-profile cross-strait event, was firmly grounded in Taiwan's constitutional framework and cross-strait relations law.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會), Taiwan's government agency handling relations with China, had previously accused Ma of endorsing the controversial "1992 Consensus" (九二共識), an understanding that both Taiwan and mainland China acknowledge there is "one China" but with different interpretations. Hsiao characterized the government agency's allegations as "laughable" while forcefully defending the "1992 Consensus" as the only viable framework for breaking the diplomatic deadlock between Taipei and Beijing.
He portrayed the former president as uniquely capable of engaging with Chinese officials while preserving Taiwan's dignity and equal standing, drawing a stark contrast with the current ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民主進步黨), Taiwan's independence-leaning party now in power. In a pointed legal challenge, Hsiao also contested the MAC's characterization of the Straits Forum as a vehicle for China's "united front" influence operations, noting that Taiwan's legal code contains no formal definition of such activities.
The foundation director bolstered his argument by citing popular Taiwanese fitness influencer Holger Chen, who reportedly declared after a recent mainland visit that "Taiwan belongs to its people, not the DPP." Hsiao referenced polling data suggesting that 90 percent of Taiwan's population favors cross-strait dialogue, implying a significant disconnect between the government's cautious approach toward Beijing and public sentiment. Despite the political backlash, Hsiao confirmed that the 73-year-old former president remains committed to fostering cross-strait exchanges as part of his broader mission to promote regional stability and safeguard the interests of Taiwan's 23 million residents. ◼
