Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday said he would not renounce the use of force against foreign forces and pro-Taiwan independence “separatists” that interfere with China’s goal of peaceful unification as he announced plans to explore using the “one country, two systems” model with Taiwan.
Xi made the remarks in a closely watched speech in Beijing marking the 40th anniversary of the 1979 “Message to Compatriots in Taiwan,” which called for the unification of “China,” an end to military confrontation across the Taiwan Strait and expanded cross-strait interactions.
“The history of the development of cross-strait relations has proven that no individual or force can change the historical and de jure sense of facts that Taiwan is a part of China and that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the same ‘China,’” Xi said.
Photo: AFP
“The motherland must and will be reunited,” he said, before listing five points for the promotion of peaceful development of cross-strait ties and peaceful unification.
Taiwan and China must join hands to facilitate the reinvigoration of the Zhonghua minzu (中華民族, “Chinese ethnic group”) and realize the goal of peaceful unification, Xi said, adding that the continued separation of the two sides is a historical trauma suffered by the Zhonghua minzu as a whole, whose revival would help solve the “Taiwan problem.”
Xi said that he plans to explore a Taiwanese version of the “one country, two systems” framework, which would ensure that Taiwanese’s social system, way of life, personal property, religious beliefs and legal rights are fully respected and protected.
“The differences in [both sides’ political] systems is not an impediment to unification, nor should it be an excuse for separation,” Xi said, adding that the implementation of the “one country, two systems” framework to Taiwan would consider the nation’s situation and suggestions from various sectors of society on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
China implemented the “one country, two systems” model in Hong Kong after the territory’s return to China in 1997, but pro-democracy Hong Kongers have accused Beijing of failing to honor its pledge of allowing the territory a high degree of autonomy.
Xi said that although his government is willing to do its utmost to achieve unification through peaceful means, “we make no promise to abandon the use of force and reserve all methods necessary” to realize that goal.
He said non-peaceful means would only target external forces that resist, and the “extremely few pro-Taiwan independence separatists” and their movements.
Xi added: “We are not targeting our compatriots in Taiwan.”
Xi said that on the basis of the “one China” principle, he is willing to engage in dialogue and communication on unification and cross-strait political issues with all political parties, groups and individuals from Taiwan to move both sides of the Strait toward political negotiations.
In his speech, Xi mentioned the so-called “1992 consensus” twice and included “national unification” as part of his definition of the “consensus.”
“Over the past 70 years, we have adhered to the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving differences, promoting the ‘1992 consensus’ reached by both sides on the ‘one China’ principle that espouses that ‘both sides of the Strait belong to one China and will work jointly to seek national unification,’” Xi said.
SOLIDARITY: A group of European lawmakers condemned China’s aggressive moves, while the foreign minister of Lithuania said Taiwan ‘cannot become a second Ukraine’ A German parliamentary delegation would visit Taiwan in the first week of October, German lawmaker Holger Becker on Monday told visiting Democratic Progressive Party legislators Fan Yun (范雲) and Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) at the Bundestag in Berlin. Asked by Fan whether he is worried about possible reprisals from Beijing, such as banning him and his family from entering China, Becker said he is more interested in visiting Taiwan, as “now is the time for democracies to stand together.” Fan and Lin also met with German officials to exchange views on digital education and governance. Investing in digital infrastructure and protecting equal rights to
As China waged extensive military exercises off Taiwan, a group of US defense experts in Washington was focused on their own simulation of an eventual — but for now entirely hypothetical — US-China war over the nation. The unofficial what-if game is being conducted on the fifth floor of an office building not far from the White House, and it posits a US military response to a Chinese invasion in 2026. Even though the participants bring a US perspective, they are finding that a US-Taiwan victory, if there is one, could come at a huge cost. “The results are showing that under
‘SIMULATED ATTACKS’: Ten warships each from China and Taiwan were maneuvering at close quarters in the Taiwan Strait, with some Chinese vessels crossing the median line Taiwan yesterday reiterated that it would not succumb to pressure from Beijing after China carried out its most provocative military drills in decades in retaliation for US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan last week. “We will never bow to pressure. We uphold freedom and democracy, and believe Taiwanese disapprove [of] China’s bullying actions with force and saber rattling at our door,” Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday. China had “arrogantly” disrupted regional peace and stability, he said, calling on Beijing to not flex its military muscles. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has also called on the international community to “support
DRILLS CONTINUE: China’s creation of a restricted zone across the median line of the Taiwan Strait challenges a 70-year-old fact, a ministry of defense official said The nation’s military fully complies with international rules and guidelines when responding to Chinese military drills, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, vowing to continue defending Taiwan in accordance with international law. China on Thursday launched four days of military drills around Taiwan proper in response to US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei. The drills were expected to end on Sunday, but neither Beijing nor Taipei confirmed their conclusion, although the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said it had seen some evidence suggesting at least a partial drawdown. However, China yesterday said the drills would continue, saying “the
RSS