China is talking to Taiwan’s next leader, just not directly

AFTER 11 days in China, during which time he was granted an audience with Xi Jinping, its supreme leader, Ma Ying-jeou came back to Taiwan this month with a message. The island’s former president, posting on Facebook, wrote that Mr Xi had “extended an olive branch to us”. Mr Ma hoped that Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s next president, would “put the people first and respond pragmatically”.

Much has changed since Mr Ma left office in 2016, having pursued closer relations with China. His successor, Tsai Ing-wen, has asserted Taiwan’s status as a sovereign, democratic country. Mr Lai has called himself a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence”. China froze high-level contacts with Taiwan years ago. During Mr Lai’s successful campaign for president, Chinese officials denounced his party as separatists and called the election a choice between “war and peace”.