Ma Ying-jeou is correct. China is a civilization state and not nation state! 馬英九說的對。中國是文明國家，不是局限於列強用武力定下的國界 / Former Taiwan President Ma Ying Jeou Visits Mainland Amidst Kickoff of Annual Boao Forum for Asia. 台灣前總統馬英九在一年一度的博鰲亞洲論壇開幕之際訪問大陸 By MARIO CAVOLO Mar 28 2023

“People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are Chinese people, and are both descendants of the Yan and Yellow Emperors,” Ma said, in comments provided by his office.

Ma used wording in Chinese meaning people of Chinese ethnicity, rather than referring to their nationality. Descendants of the Yan and Yellow Emperors is an expression referring to a common ancestor for Chinese people.

NANJING, China, March 28 (Reuters) – People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are ethnically Chinese and share the same ancestor, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou said on Tuesday at the start of a historic visit to China that Taiwan’s ruling party has criticised.

Ma, in office from 2008-2016, is the first former or current Taiwanese president to visit China since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 at the end of a civil war with the Communists.

Most Taiwanese no longer identify as Chinese, according to polls. (WHICH POLLS?)

Sun is officially still considered the father of the Republic of China, which remains Taiwan’s official name. Sun is also lauded by the Communist Party for the overthrow of the Qing dynasty, but the governments in Beijing and Taipei do not recognise each other.

Ma’s visit is part of outreach by Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), to China in hopes of reducing tensions. The KMT traditionally favours close relations with China, but strongly denies being pro-Beijing.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly offered talks with China ( NO SHE DIDN’T) , but has been rejected as China considers her a separatist. She says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

Ma, a senior KMT member, said he hoped for peace.

“We sincerely hope that the two sides will work together to pursue peace, avoid war, and strive to revitalise China,” he said, again using an expression that refers to the Chinese people as an ethnicity rather than a nationality. “This is an unavoidable responsibility of Chinese people on both sides of the Strait, and we must work hard.”

Ma is not scheduled to meet with any senior Chinese leaders on this trip. He and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Singapore in 2015.

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Meanwhile the annual Boao Forum for Asia kicks off today. Li Baodong, secretary-general of the BFA, said at the press conference on Tuesday that the BFA annual meeting is focused on addressing two questions: “What is happening in the world? What we should do about it?” He noted a long list of crises, including military conflict, food and energy security and climate change.

That is why “our theme this year is: An Uncertain World: Solidarity and Cooperation for Development amid Challenges,” Li said, “we are aiming to find certainty amid global uncertainty and promote development through cooperation.”

Over 2000 delegates from around 50 countries will be in attendance at this year’s event. A focus on peace rather than warmongering is at the foundation of discussions for this year’s event on the heels of China’s recent efforts to send a strong message of peace and diplomacy across the world.