Ma Ying-jeou to become first former Taiwanese leader to visit mainland China since 1949

Former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou will pay a landmark visit to mainland China on March 27, 2023. It will be the first time a retired Taiwanese leader has visited the mainland since the defeated Nationalist Kuomintang government fled to the self-ruled island in 1949. None of the serving Taiwanese presidents have visited the mainland. It is not yet confirmed whether Ma’s 10-day trip will include meetings with mainland leaders. The historic visit comes at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Taipei, and will overlap with the US visit by Taiwan’s current leader Tsai Ing-wen.