Taiwan’s ruling DPP slams former leader Ma Ying-jeou over Straits Forum comments

Name: Taiwan leader William Lai says Beijing has no authority over island in Double Tenth speech
Uploaded: 2025-06-16T11:52:43.000Z
Duration: 3 min 23 s
Description: Taiwan leader William Lai says Beijing has no authority over island in Double Tenth speech

Mainland Affairs Council expresses ‘deep regret’ over Ma’s remarks at cross-strait forum branded by the DPP as a united front operation

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Beijing’s No 4 official Wang Huning (right) and former Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou at the annual Straits Forum, in Xiamen on Sunday. The characters behind them read “welcome”. Photo: Handout

Lawrence Chungin Taipei

Published: 7:52pm, 16 Jun 2025Updated: 9:20pm, 16 Jun 2025

Beijing has rolled out the red carpet for Ma Ying-jeou, the first former Taiwanese leader to take part in the Straits Forum, the 17th edition of which opened in Fujian province on Sunday.

But back home, Ma is facing a fierce backlash from pro-independence politicians and critics, who accuse the former Kuomintang chairman of “dancing with Beijing” to undermine Taiwan’s political standing.

The annual cross-strait forum is branded by Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as a centrepiece of Beijing’s “united front” operations, which aim to extend the Communist Party’s influence and control beyond mainland China. Ma’s comments at the latest event have further intensified those accusations.

03:23

Taiwan leader William Lai says Beijing has no authority over island in Double Tenth speech

Addressing the forum’s opening ceremony in the southeastern city of Xiamen, Ma reiterated that only by adhering to the “1992 consensus” and opposing Taiwan independence could both sides of the Taiwan Strait achieve a peaceful and positive outcome.

The 1992 consensus, a mutual understanding that there is only “one China”, was reached when the KMT was in power in Taipei.

Ma’s remarks were echoed by Wang Huning – Beijing’s No 4 official and a member of the Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee.

Wang emphasised the need to uphold the one-China principle and the consensus, while calling for resolute opposition to “Taiwan independence” and foreign interference.

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Taiwan’s ruling DPP slams former leader Ma Ying-jeou over Straits Forum comments

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Mainland Affairs Council expresses ‘deep regret’ over Ma’s remarks at cross-strait forum branded by the DPP as a united front operation

Mainland Affairs Council expresses ‘deep regret’ over Ma’s remarks at cross-strait forum branded by the DPP as a united front operation