Ma Ying-jeou: Traditional characters essential to Chinese culture

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said traditional Chinese characters are essential to Chinese culture. [Photo/Taiwan.cn]

Despite the pervasive adoption of simplified Chinese characters in Chinese mainland, Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said that traditional Chinese characters are essential to and represent the spirit of Chinese culture. Ma was speaking at the Chinese Characters Festival in Taipei on Jan 1.

Despite an increasing number of mainlanders visiting the island, Taiwan has shown no sign that it will include the simplified characters used across the straits on its traffic signs, public notices or billboards.

Taiwan will try to show its mainland compatriots the beauty of traditional characters, Ma said.

"I've never heard a single visitor from Chinese mainland complaining the difficulties in figuring out traditional Chinese characters," Ma said.