Former President Ma Ying-jeou took a plane to visit China yesterday. The Information Bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council asked Taiwanese media not to use "President Ma" or "Chairman Ma" when interviewing questions, but to address them as "Mr. Ma".

(Photo by reporter Zhu Peixiong)

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council requires Taiwan media to address questions as "Mr. Ma"

[Reporter Chen Yufu/Taipei Report] Former President Ma Ying-jeou took a plane to visit China yesterday. He is the first outgoing head of state of the Republic of China to set foot on the Chinese mainland since 1949.

According to reports, the Information Bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council asked Taiwanese media in advance to interview and ask questions, not to say "President Ma" or "Chairman Ma", but to address them as "Mr. Ma"; Willing to be "Mr. Ma", only in exchange for "chief executive level" treatment.

Legislators criticize Ma Zi for being humiliated and treated as "Chief Executive"

After Ma Ying-jeou's delegation arrived in China, the CCP's official media Xinhua News Agency immediately released a short report with only about 100 words in full, but it did not add any title to Ma Ying-jeou in the article, and only mentioned "Ma Ying-jeou" twice.

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People familiar with the matter said that the CCP wants to expand the political effect of Ma Ying-jeou's visit to China, and is worried about bad things about the Taiwan media, so it restricts the Taiwan media from sending personnel from Taiwan to accompany the group for interviews.

The Information Bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council told Taiwanese reporters interviewing in China more than once that this time when Ma Ying-jeou came, the Taiwanese media should address him as "Mr. Not easy to handle.

It was pointed out that when the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council hosted a banquet for Taiwanese journalists on March 26, it notified again that they could be called "Chairman" in public, but not "President."

In the past few days, the Taiwan Affairs Office has repeatedly requested Taiwan media stationed in China not to use sensitive titles such as "President Ma", "President of the Republic of China" and "Head of State" in all news scenes, and must refer to the press releases of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. use words.

Legislator Zhuang Ruixiong of the Democratic Progressive Party questioned, is this specification a goodwill towards Taiwan?

Even what to call the media is pointed out by the CCP. It is clear that the official title of our country is "abandoned like a trash." Not only does it treat Taiwan as a part of China, but it also treats Taiwanese as its minions. It has been president for eight years. Those who cannot be called the former president can only be called "Mr. Ma", which is too big a deal!