Taiwan's former President Ma Ying-jeou and the head of China's administrative body for Taiwan policies have emphasized their opposition to independence for Taiwan.

Ma, who was invited to visit China, met Song Tao, director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, in the city of Harbin in the northeast province of Heilongjiang on Wednesday.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said the two sides affirmed their commitment to the "1992 Consensus," referring to the outcome of a meeting that year between China and Taiwan's then-ruling Kuomintang Party in which both sides reportedly agreed that China and Taiwan belong to "one China."

Ma and Song also expressed readiness to promote exchange and cooperation.
Viewing Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party as a "separatist," China is ramping up military pressure on Taiwan.

It deployed many military and coast guard vessels to waters near Taiwan earlier this month.

Beijing appears to have applied political pressure on Taipei by inviting Ma, a member of Kuomintang, the largest opposition party, to the country. Ma takes a dovish stance toward China.