(TibetanReview.net, Oct17’24) –China has on Oct 16 vowed never to commit to renounce the use of force to “reunify” Taiwan, a day after president Xi Jining visited Dongshan island in Fujian province which lies across the economically prosperous and democratically self-ruled island. Both the events came after China subjected Taiwan on Oct 14 to massive war exercises as a “stern warning” to Taiwan “independence forces”. All this followed Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s vow to defend the island from any Chinese armed aggression during his national day address on Oct 10.
“We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the utmost sincerity and endeavour,” Reuters Oct 16 quoted Chen Binhua, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, as saying at a regular press briefing in Beijing. “But we will never commit ourselves to renouncing the use of force.”
“No matter how many troops Taiwan has and how many weapons it acquires, and no matter whether external forces intervene or not, if it (Taiwan) dares to take risks, it will lead to its own destruction,” he has added. “Our actions to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity will not cease for a moment.”
Chen’s remarks came a day after Chinese state media reported Oct 15 President Xi’s arrival the previous day on Dongshan island where in 1953 China beat off an invasion attempt by Taiwan-based military of the Republic of China (ROC), the official name of Taiwan and which had ruled China from 1911 until its civil war loss to the communists in 1949. No armistice or peace treaty has ever been signed between the two sides.
Xi was stated to have urged officials in Fujian to promote cross-strait cultural exchanges and “enhance the ethnic, cultural and national identity of Taiwan compatriots.”
Taiwan’s ROC government, which for long claimed to be the legitimate government of China and even held its UN seat, with the veto power, until the 1970s, now rejects China’s sovereignty claims, saying only the island’s people can decide their future.
In his Oct 10 speech, Lai said China had no right to represent Taiwan, that the island was willing to work with the government in Beijing to combat challenges like climate change, striking both a firm and a conciliatory tone which Taiwan officials said was a show of goodwill.
But Chen, the Chinese spokesperson, said Lai had stuck to his “stubborn separatist position”, adding “There was no goodwill to speak of.”
Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China, only to be rebuffed by the latter.
China has over the past five years sent warships and warplanes in the waters and skies around Taiwan on an almost daily basis. It has also carried out large-scale war drills to cut off the island in shows of force to intimidate the island against making any move towards declaring independence.