The high profile visit has been presented by Ma and his party, the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), as a chance to boost friendly cross-strait exchanges at a time of extreme disconnection, which has been driven by Beijing’s plans to annex Taiwan and exacerbated by the pandemic. However it is also likely to fuel domestic political division between the KMT and ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) over relations with China.
Ma’s office said the trip was scheduled for 27 March to 7 April, with stops in Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha, Chongqing and Shanghai. However, local media reported that Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council has not yet received a report about the planned trip, as required of former presidents.
