[Global Issue+] Taiwan Divided Over Separate US and China Visits by Former and Current Presidents

Proxy War Ahead of Taiwan Presidential Election in January Next Year
China Emphasizes 'One China' Principle... Criticizes Tsai Ing-wen

On the 30th of last month (local time), Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen visited New York and greeted members of the local Taiwanese community association. New York - Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

Former and current presidents of Taiwan have embarked on separate tours to China and the United States ahead of the presidential election scheduled for January next year, drawing significant attention to the underlying reasons. Amid escalating power struggles between the US and China over Taiwan, the island's political landscape has become sharply divided into pro-American and pro-Chinese factions, raising concerns that the upcoming presidential election could effectively become a proxy war between the US and China.

The Chinese government has particularly expressed strong opposition to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's reported meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The fact that Taiwan's leader is conducting diplomatic activities as if representing a state separate from China directly contradicts the "One China" principle emphasized by Beijing. Former President Ma Ying-jeou, known as a pro-China figure, has been emphasizing the One China principle throughout his visit to China, and the Chinese government is actively promoting this stance.

Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, Taiwan's internal divisions, which have drawn global attention as a potential flashpoint, are expected to significantly impact the overall security situation in Northeast Asia.

President Tsai's Quiet US Visit... Continued Chinese Opposition

On the 29th of last month (local time), Chinese residents in New York protesting against Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's visit to New York. New York=Reuters·Yonhap News

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 31st (local time), President Tsai began her Latin America tour with a visit to New York on the 29th, meeting with Taiwanese expatriates, but did not receive formal US diplomatic protocol. At a dinner banquet at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in Manhattan, Tsai Ing-wen was referred to only as a "very special guest" instead of by name. On the afternoon of the 30th, she made an unofficial visit to a remote bakery in Brooklyn and reportedly declined to interview with journalists she encountered there, avoiding external contact.

Meanwhile, local Chinese expatriates have staged protests in various locations, claiming that Tsai's visit violates the One China principle and obstructs China's reunification efforts. The Chinese government has also strongly opposed Tsai's visit, deploying military aircraft and naval vessels around the Taiwan Strait as a show of force.

According to Taiwan's English-language newspaper Taiwan News, on the 31st, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported that from 6 a.m. the previous day to 6 a.m. on the 31st, the Taiwanese military detected two military aircraft and three warships belonging to the People's Liberation Army in the airspace and waters surrounding Taiwan.

Conscious of China's strong opposition, the US government has taken a cautious stance regarding Tsai's visit. Although a meeting with House Speaker McCarthy is scheduled around the 5th (local time) following the Latin America tour, the US has not emphasized this event.

Former President Ma Ying-jeou Continues to Emphasize 'One China'

On the 28th of last month, Ma Ying-jeou, former President of Taiwan, left a message after paying respects at Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, China. Nanjing = AP·Yonhap News

In stark contrast, former President Ma, who is visiting China, has been warmly welcomed wherever he goes, and the Chinese government is extensively promoting his activities. Ma visited the Zhongshan Mausoleum in Nanjing, the tomb of Sun Yat-sen, who is revered as a founding father in both China and Taiwan, and paid respects to victims at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, emphasizing Chinese nationalism.

Notably, Ma is the first among Taiwan's former and current presidents to pay respects at the Zhongshan Mausoleum, an unprecedented honor in China. On the 30th, Ma met with Song Tao, Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Communist Party Central Committee and concurrently Minister-level head of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office. There is also speculation about a possible meeting with Xi Jinping, following Wang Huning, a member of the Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee.

Through Ma's activities, China continuously stresses the One China principle. This serves as a message to Taiwan and simultaneously signals to the US and Western countries that any interference in Taiwan affairs constitutes internal interference. With Taiwan's political landscape divided ahead of the January presidential election, there are growing concerns that the security dynamics in Northeast Asia surrounding Taiwan will undergo rapid changes.