(TibetanReview.net, Feb11, 2017) – China on Feb 8 warned Taiwan that it would “resolutely oppose” attempts underway to invite Rebiya Kadeer, whom it called the leader of the “separatist” World Uyghur Congress, reported India’s PTI news agency Feb 8. However, it also struck a conciliatory note towards the people of Taiwan by promising policies to attract them to live and work on the mainland, as China likes to call itself vis-à-vis Taiwan.
Reacting to the Taiwan Solidarity Union’s intention to the invite the Munich-based activist to Taiwan in Mar 2017, An Feng, spokesperson for Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, has told media, “It is a well-known fact that Rebiya Kadeer is among the heads of the ‘East Turkestan’ forces. The invitation by the ‘Taiwan Independence’ secessionist force is intended to make trouble and will certainly harm cross-Strait relations.”
Kadeer campaigns for civil and political rights of the Uyghur people in her homeland of East Turkestan (Chinese: Xinjiang) which is beset by sporadic violent protests in response to China brutal repression and colonial rule. China calls her a separatist and those reacting to China’s repressive rule with outbursts of knife attacks and the like against its armed force as terrorists.
China considers Taiwan a renegade province meant to be reunited under its ‘One China’ policy which also includes Tibet.
In this connection, when asked about Taiwan’s plan, cited by Taiwan’s ‘New Power Party’, to offer scholarships to some Tibetan people identified as “refugees” to sponsor their study on the island, An was quoted by China’s official Xinhua news agency as saying, “our attitude is very clear, and (we) firmly oppose confusing the refugee issue with the issue of overseas Tibetan compatriot”.
Taiwan’s Kuomintang party supports reunification with China, but only a democratic one which respects human rights. However its current President Tsai-Ing-wen, who belongs to the Democratic Progressive Party, is no fan of any sort of ‘reunification’ with China. As a matter of fact, Taiwan has never been a part of communist ruled China.
While being strongly critical of Tsai, who has not endorsed the one China policy, China, in a bid to win over the Taiwanese people, has said it will issue policies to support and attract people from Taiwan to work and live on the mainland. An has said the policies would cover employment, social insurance and living needs. He has added that the policies will not only facilitate Taiwanese to live and work on the mainland, but was also aimed at boosting the social and economic integration of the two sides.
An has also said China will will continue to encourage Taiwan businessmen to develop on the mainland and provide more convenience and opportunities for them.