TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation (馬英九基金會), a private organization established by Taiwan's former president, announced on Wednesday (June 11) that Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) will embark on his fourth visit to China since leaving office, leading a delegation of Taiwanese students to participate in the Straits Forum. The foundation described the trip as an effort to promote shared Chinese cultural heritage and foster cross-strait dialogue at a time when relations between Taiwan and China remain strained.
Beginning on Saturday and concluding on June 27, the delegation will journey through the historically significant Hexi Corridor (河西走廊), a narrow passage in northwestern China that once served as a crucial segment of the ancient Silk Road trading route. The itinerary includes cultural activities honoring Fuxi (伏羲氏), a legendary figure revered as an ancestral deity in Chinese mythology. Ma Ying-jeou Foundation Director Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) emphasized the heightened importance of cross-strait exchanges in the current geopolitical climate, particularly following the global economic realignment triggered by tariffs imposed during former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.
Throughout his post-presidential activities, Ma has consistently emphasized the crucial role of young people in determining the future trajectory of Taiwan-China relations. His engagement with youth has been substantial: over the past two years, he personally led three separate student delegations to mainland China while also hosting numerous student groups from Chinese universities visiting Taiwan. Foundation officials noted that despite operating as a non-governmental organization, the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation actively supports official government initiatives aimed at maintaining open channels of communication between Taipei and Beijing.
This upcoming cultural exchange marks Ma's fourth journey across the Taiwan Strait since completing his presidency. His previous visits to China included a groundbreaking March 2023 trip to Nanjing—the first visit by a former Taiwanese president to mainland China since the 1949 civil war split. In April 2024, Ma met with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing for what became known as the "Ma-Xi 2.0" summit (馬習二會), a follow-up to their historic 2015 meeting. Most recently, Ma participated in the internationally renowned Ice and Snow Festival in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin in December 2024. ◼