TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) plans to visit China for 12 days during the upcoming Tomb Sweeping Festival.  

Since stepping down, China has made numerous invitations to Ma. However, he has not been able to accept such offers due to an original three-year outbound travel ban that was extended for another two-years till 2019 by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). The COVID pandemic further delayed such a trip, per UP Media.

Ma is now planning a Tomb Sweeping Day visit to China from March 27 to April 7, ostensibly to pay respects to his ancestors. He will not be going alone, leading a delegation of students from his foundation to visit historical sites and educational centers in Nanjing, Wuhan, Changsha, Chongqing, Shanghai, and other cities.

Ma, however, will avoid a trip to Beijing for a potential second "Ma-Xi Meeting." Any potential reaction to such a meeting could affect the upcoming 2024 presidential election for his Kuomintang party.

The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation is expected to hold a press conference at National Taiwan University Alumni Hall at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday (March 21) to explain the itinerary for his first visit to China since he was president, per UP Media. On Sunday evening (March 19), Ma Ying-jeou Foundation Executive Director Xiao Xucen (蕭旭岑) confirmed that Ma will go to China to worship his ancestors, and will lead students from Taiwan to interact with Chinese students.

After Ma stepped down as head of state, there have been multiple rumors that Ma may visit China to hold a second "Ma-Xi Meeting." President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is also planning to transit through the U.S. at the end of March, where she will meet with with U.S House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.

Some believe Beijing is seeking to offset Tsai’s U.S. visit, by extending a warm welcome to Ma, who accepted the invitation under the premise of ancestor worship, according to UP Media. 

Ma’s trip is even worrying a few within his own KMT, as any false steps could hurt the party’s chances in the upcoming presidential election. Some within the party even believe it’s inappropriate to visit China before the election, potentially giving the U.S. the impression that the KMT is pro-China.

As a result, Ma’s itinerary will be carefully planned and scrutinized, as no planned visits will include China’s top central officials such as Wang Huning (王滬寧), chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).