(Bloomberg) — Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested that mainland China and Taiwan enter into “in-depth democratic consultations” and work toward unification, in the clearest sign yet…
(Bloomberg) — Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested that mainland China and Taiwan enter into “in-depth democratic consultations” and work toward unification, in the clearest sign yet that he wants to settle the 70-year dispute during his tenure.
“China must and will be united, which is an inevitable requirement for the historical rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era,” Xi told a gathering in Beijing to mark the 40th anniversary of a landmark Beijing overture to Taipei after the U. S. and China established relations. The two sides have been ruled separately since Chiang Kai-shek moved his Nationalist government across the Taiwan Strait during the Chinese civil war.
Xi also sent a warning to Taiwan independence advocates, who include supporters of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
“It’s a legal fact that both sides of the strait belong to one China, and cannot be changed by anyone or any force,” Xi said. While the president said “Chinese don’t beat Chinese,” he noted that the mainland was “not committed to renouncing the use of force.”
The speech closely tied the Taiwan issue to Xi’s central pledge to make China a global power by 2050. While he stopped short of issuing a firm deadline, his remarks went further than his 2013 statement saying the political impasse between the two sides “cannot be passed on from generation to generation.”
Carrots and Sticks
Since coming to power six years ago, Xi has employed both incentives and pressure to steer Taiwan toward unification.
