Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou visits China for peace talks

Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has become the first sitting or former Taiwanese leader to visit mainland China since the Communist revolution in 1949. Ma, who was in office from 2008-2016, hopes to bring about peace and improve relations between the two countries. The visit has been criticised by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of Ma's successor Tsai Ing-wen. Ma is a senior member of Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, which favours close ties with China although it strongly denies being pro-Beijing.