The former Kuomintang (KMT) leader of Taiwan, Ma Ying Jeou is currently in the Chinese Mainland. This is as part of a 12 day trip to visit his ancestral graves in Hunan province, and to participate in a grand tour of the major Chinese cities. While in the Nanjing Sun Yat Sen Mausoleum, Ma Ying Jeou unfurled a banner which read “Peaceful Struggle, Rejuvenate China”.
Later, Ma Ying Jeou travelled to the Hunan province, where his ancestral graves were located. Ma Ying Jeou recited a devotion to his ancestors in the Hunanese dialect. During this devotion, Ma mentioned the phrase “Republic of China” several times. Ma Ying Jeou stated — “During the Republic of China 65th year I graduated I published my dissertation… “ “in the Republic 97 and 101 year, I became the President of the Republic of China two times”.
The year of the Republic of China is the calendar used in Taiwan, which begins count from 1912 onwards — symbolizing the year which the ROC was founded. By claiming that he was elected the President of the “Republic of China” in the 97th and 101st year, Ma Ying Jeou suggested that when he became the leader of Taiwan in 2008 and 2016, he was the President of the “Republic of China”, and that the ROC continues to exist. This of course contradicts the Communist Party of China’s narrative that the “Republic of China” was destroyed and replaced by the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
In addition, Ma Ying Jeou gave a lecture in the city of Changsha. In this speech to Mainland Chinese students, Ma Ying Jeou stated that both Mainland China and Taiwan are “both China”, under the “ amendment of the Constitution of the Republic of China”.
“In our definition, our country has been divided into two parts, one is the Taiwan area, and the other is the mainland area. Both are part of our Republic of China, both are China,” Ma Ying Jeou said in Changsha.
Ma Ying Jeou’s constant mentions of the Republic of China is confusing to outside observers. Why would the Communist Party of China (CPC), which currently governs China as the People’s Republic of China, allow Ma Ying Jeou to make such remarks in the Chinese Mainland, next to CPC members and students? Why didn’t Beijing protest or lower the reception standards of Ma’s visit?
The tolerance of Ma Ying Jeou’s antics demonstrates that the Communist Party of China sincerely and genuinely respects the 1992 Consensus, even as it is practiced in the Mainland. The 1992 Consensus is the informal agreement reached between Taiwan and Mainland China in 1992, that there is one China, Mainland China and Taiwan are both part of China, but there can be two opinions as to what this China is, either the People’s Republic of China or “Republic of China”.
The existence of the 1992 Consensus has been denied by the Taiwan Independence Movement (which seeks to establish an independent “Taiwan Republic” separate from the Chinese identity) and the current leader of Taiwan, Tsai Ing Wen. Ma Ying Jeou by mentioning the “Republic of China” so many times during official events with the Chinese Communists demonstrates that the 92 Consensus is not a hoax, but is a concept that the Communist are more than willing to accommodate.
On April 3, 2023, Ma Ying Jeou met with the CPC Party Secretary of Chongqing city, Yuan Jiajun, who is also a member of the Politburo of CPC. Yuan Jiajun stated that Mr. Ma “adhered to the 1992 Consensus , opposed “Taiwan independence”, and insisted on promoting cross-strait exchanges and cooperation for win-win development. This is completely consistent with Mr. Ma’s long-term and consistent promotion of cross-strait opening up, cooperation, exchanges, and development.”
