Ex-Taiwan leader Ma kicks off China visit, 1st by former president

Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Monday kicked off a 12-day trip to China, making the first visit to the mainland by a former leader of the island since the two sides split in 1949 due to a civil war.Ma, a senior member of Taiwan's main opposition Nationalist Party, is scheduled to travel to cities including Shanghai, Nanjing, and Wuhan and meet with local students, according to the China-friendly political party, also called the Kuomintang (KMT).Beijing is not included in his itinerary, but Ma may meet with a high-ranking Chinese official during his visit. In February, KMT Vice Chai…READ FULL ARTICLE