[Correspondent Diary] China Moves to Appease Taiwan

Improved Life and Welfare in Taiwan After Unification... Private Property and Religion Guaranteed
China's Dual Strategy of Hard and Soft Approaches, DPP Blamed for Cross-Strait Relations Deterioration

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] China has begun efforts to appease the people of Taiwan. Infuriated by the independence movements of Taiwan's leadership, China warned on the 28th that "Taiwan independence is a path to death." It was ready to launch fighter jets and bomb Taiwan at any moment. On the 27th (local time), Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's remarks in an interview with the US CNN that US troops are participating in Taiwan's military training and that she believes the US will help Taiwan drew a very sensitive reaction from China.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

China, which seemed poised to maintain a hardline stance, expressed the opposite position on the 29th. It promised that peace in Taiwan would be guaranteed after unification, and that the lives and welfare of the Taiwanese people would improve.

Liu Junchuan, Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, attended the "Seminar on National Reunification and National Rejuvenation" held in Yichang, Hubei Province on the 29th. He said that the majority of Taiwanese compatriots desire unification, and that cross-strait (China-Taiwan) unification is a historic task and the path to national rejuvenation. He added, "After unification, Taiwanese compatriots will participate in building a community with a shared future for mankind," and "the international status of Taiwanese compatriots will be further elevated."

He also emphasized that the private property, religious beliefs, and legal rights of Taiwanese compatriots will be guaranteed, and that Taiwanese compatriots will become true masters of the country. Deputy Director Liu reiterated, "Peaceful unification is in the interest of the entire Chinese nation, including Taiwanese compatriots," and called to "jointly create global prosperity, stability, and the future of humanity."

He also shifted the blame for the deterioration of cross-strait relations onto Taiwan's ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Deputy Director Liu said, "The DPP's separatist (independence) movement is a curse that harms the interests and well-being of Taiwanese compatriots," and criticized, "The DPP forces are colluding with external forces (the US) for their own interests, inciting confrontation across the strait." He claimed that the current ruling DPP is the cause of the worsening cross-strait relations, including the risk of war. He urged, "For the bright future of national reunification, separatists (the DPP) must be kept at a distance," and called for resolutely opposing separatist attempts together with the mainland (China).

Deputy Director Liu's remarks are interpreted as a dual strategy of hard and soft approaches. Since a military invasion of Taiwan could face international condemnation, the strategy appears to be to pressure Taiwan's ruling party while promoting the benefits of unification to the Taiwanese people to foster a pro-unification atmosphere.

Some speculate that China may support the pro-China Kuomintang in the 2024 Taiwan presidential election.