Taipei: Former President Ma Ying-jeou defended a remark made by a student from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) during a group visit to Taiwan, asserting that the reference to Taiwan as “China Taipei” was made without malicious intent. This comment was made in response to a controversy that arose from a delegation visit organized by the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation from November 27 to December 5, 2024.

According to Focus Taiwan, the incident took place during a hearing conducted by the National Immigration Agency under the Ministry of the Interior (MOI). Ma Ying-jeou, alongside Hsiao Hsu-tsen, director of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, attended the hearing to address the incident involving Song Siyiao, a student from Fudan University in Shanghai. Song had referred to Taiwan’s baseball team as “China Taipei” instead of the commonly accepted term “Chinese Taipei” while congratulating the team on their victory at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 championship in November 2024.

The statement by Song Siyiao sparked a public outcry in Taiwan, as the term “China Taipei” implies Taiwan is part of China, which is not a recognized context. Additionally, the student referred to China as the “motherland,” further stoking sentiments in Taiwan.

The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation was required by the MOI to submit a written statement regarding the incident, in line with the Administrative Procedure Act. Prior to the hearing, Ma expressed his desire to explain the incident personally, urging the government led by President Lai Ching-te not to hinder cross-strait youth exchanges through political or administrative means. Ma emphasized that such actions are not beneficial to cross-strait peace and stability, nor do they serve the interests of the Taiwanese people.

The MOI also issued a statement underscoring that cross-strait exchanges should be conducted with mutual respect and equal dignity, cautioning against actions or language that could belittle Taiwan. The statement further advised that invitees from mainland China should adhere to relevant regulations and maintain the original intent of fostering exchanges.