Global impact | Mainland China pins its hopes on Taiwan’s former leader Ma Ying-jeou after meeting Xi Jinping during ‘journey of peace’

Global Impact is a weekly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world

In this week’s issue, we look at the latest in cross-strait relations, with independence-leaning William Lai Ching-te set to take over as Taiwan president next month

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Published: 2:00pm, 29 Apr 2024Updated: 1:19pm, 23 May 2024

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As Taiwan is about to see a changing of the guard amid rising cross-strait tensions, mainland China’s response has been closely watched.

Since the independence-leaning William Lai Ching-te – branded by Beijing as a “separatist” – won the island’s presidential election in January, mainland China has ramped up efforts to win Taiwanese hearts and minds before he takes office in May.

The primary conduit for these efforts is Ma Ying-jeou, the former Taiwanese president who led the island from 2008 to 2016 and still carries weight within the Kuomintang (KMT) opposition party. The KMT is seen as more friendly to mainland China compared to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Cross-strait relations have soured since President Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP took office in 2016, with Beijing cutting official ties with Taipei after she refused to accept the 1992 Consensus, an agreement between the two sides codifying the one-China principle.

There is no grudge that cannot be resolved. No problem that cannot be talked through

Xi Jinping

Though it has lost three consecutive presidential elections, the KMT is still viewed by Beijing as the most viable political party to guard against inclinations towards independence.