Ma anti-war message on his ‘journey of peace’

Former Taiwan leader visits museum in Beijing that marks conflict with Japan

Former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou called on younger generations to learn from the past to “resolve disputes peacefully” during a visit yesterday to a museum in Beijing marking the second Sino-Japanese war.

“People in both the mainland and Taiwan had been bullied by Japanese warlords, and suffered heavy casualties. Although we were lagging behind in terms of equipment and training in a disadvantaged situation, we were united in our determination,” he said in a speech at the Museum of the War of the Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

“I have always believed that there are no winners in war and no losers in peace. The mistakes of war may be forgiven, but the truth of history cannot be forgotten.

“We, the younger generation, must remember that historical mistakes must not be repeated … We must learn to resolve disputes peacefully.”

The museum is near Lugou Bridge, also known as Marco Polo Bridge, the site of a battle between the Japanese army and Chinese forces on July 7, 1937.

The incident is regarded as the starting point of Japan’s full-scale war into China’s heartland after its years of occupation of the country’s northeast provinces.

Ma arrived in Beijing with a group of Taiwanese students on Sunday as part of an 11-day trip to the mainland that he is calling a “journey of peace”.

The visit comes amid soaring tensions across the Taiwan Strait as the island prepares for the inauguration on May 20 of William Lai Ching-te from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party.

Ma is expected to meet President Xi Jinping this week, but the meeting has yet to be confirmed officially.

They last met in Singapore in 2015 when Ma was the self-ruled island’s president, the first such summit since the two sides split in 1949.

Taiwanese media reports said that the meeting was scheduled for tomorrow. Ma was previously expected to meet Xi yesterday.

Asked about the possible meeting between Ma and Xi, Chiu Tai-san, head of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said yesterday that “it is a good thing that both sides have communication and exchanges”, according to Taiwanese media reports.

Chiu added that the MAC would continue to monitor the situation, and “provide relevant information to government officials”.

The trip is Ma’s second to the mainland since stepping down as the island’s leader in 2016.

He arrived on April 1 and has visited Guangdong and Shaanxi provinces.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be united with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempt to take the island by force and remains committed to supplying it with weapons.