The President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping met former President of Taiwan, Ma Ying Jeou, on Apr. 10, 2024.

This makes it the first time that China has hosted a former President of Taiwan since the end of China's civil war in 1949, CNN reported.

It is also the first meeting between Xi and Ma since they met in Singapore in 2015.

Xi and Ma met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where meetings between top Chinese officials and foreign leaders normally take place.

Reuters reported that Xi addressed Ma as "Mr Ma Ying-jeou" with no reference to his formal role as Taiwan's former president while Ma addressed Xi by his title as head of the Chinese Communist Party — General Secretary.

Xi and Ma emphasise the shared culture and history of Taiwan and China

During the meeting, Xi emphasised the common culture and history shared by the people of China and Taiwan, according to Chinese state media Global Times.

He also expressed his sympathies over the recent earthquake that affected Taiwan.

"(There) is no rancour that cannot be resolved, no problem that cannot be discussed, and no force that can separate us," Xi was quoted as saying.

He also praised Ma for opposing Taiwanese independence, supporting cooperation efforts between Taiwan and China and agreeing that both are part of "one China".

According to CNN, Xi added, "External interference cannot stop the historic trend of the reunion of the family and the country."

Ma in turn described the prospect of war between China and Taiwan as an "unbearable burden on the Chinese nation", and voiced his hope that both sides will respect "the values and way of life treasured by the people" and maintain peace across the strait.

He also asserted that the people of both Taiwan and China belong to the "same Chinese nation", and urged them to deepen exchanges and cooperation, so as to carry forward Chinese culture together.

Taiwan calls for a stop to the intimidation by China

In response to the meeting, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which handles policies pertaining to China, said that it "deeply" regretted that Ma did not publicly convey the insistence of Taiwan's people to defend the Republic of China's democracy and sovereignty.

The council also called for Beijing to stop intimidating Taiwan and to resolve differences through respectful and rational dialogue.

Ma remains a senior member of the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's main opposition party. However, he does not have an official position.

The KMT lost Taiwan's presidential election for the third time in a row in January 2024.

Following the election, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office said that the vote "will not impede the inevitable trend of China’s reunification".

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Top photo via SCMP/Youtube