Chinese President: "We will peacefully reunite with Taiwan" - Walla! news

2021-10-10T06:51:47.089Z

Xi Jinping said the Chinese people have a "glorious tradition" in opposition to separatism, although he did not explicitly mention the possibility of forcibly taking over the island as he has done only recently. Despite this, in Taiwan, which is under increasing pressure from Beijing, reacted angrily: "Only the Taiwanese people will determine its future"

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Chinese President: "We will peacefully reunite with Taiwan"

Despite this, in Taiwan, which is under increasing pressure from Beijing, reacted angrily: "Only the Taiwanese people will determine its future"

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Taiwan
China
Xi Jinping

Reuters

Saturday, 09 October 2021, 22:46

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Made a more conciliatory tone compared to his previous nation. Shai in parliament in Beijing, today (Photo: Reuters)

Chinese President Xi Jinping today (Saturday) promised to "reunite peacefully" with Taiwan, without mentioning the possibility of using force after a week of tensions with the island that led to international concern.

In a speech at the Great Hall of the People - Parliament, in Beijing, Shai said that the Chinese people have a "glorious tradition" of resisting separatism. "Taiwan's separatism is the biggest obstacle to the reunification of the homeland, and the most serious hidden danger to national renewal," the Chinese president added in a speech on the anniversary of the revolution that overthrew the last imperial dynasty in 1911.

He said a peaceful "reunification" would best serve the interests of Taiwanese people, but stressed that "no one should underestimate the firm determination, determination and strong ability of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity."The historic task of a complete reunification of the homeland must be realized - and there is no question that it will be realized."

Shai expressed a slightly softer tone compared to July, promising to "smash" any attempt by Taiwan to declare official independence.

In 2019 he made an explicit threat to use force to reconquer the island.

Fear of Chinese invasion.

Two soldiers in the Taiwanese navy on a battleship in Kaohsiung, today (Photo: Reuters)

Still, the speech provoked outrage in Taiwan, which urged Beijing to abandon its coercive policy and stressed that only the islanders can decide on their future.

Democratic Taiwan is under increasing military and political pressure from China, but it has pledged to defend its freedom.

Taiwan's presidency said in response to Xi's speech that it is an independent and sovereign state, not part of the People's Republic of China, and that it outright rejects China's proposal to rule the island under the "one state, two systems" system.

The method was practiced in Hong Kong but was effectively abolished after China passed the National Security Act in 2020.

"The future of the country is in the hands of the Taiwanese people," the Taipei presidency stressed. In a separate statement, the Taiwan Policy Council in Taiwan called on Beijing to "abandon the provocative measures of intrusion, harassment and destruction" and return to talks. For four consecutive days since early October, the Chinese Air Force has infiltrated Taiwan's air defense detection area using more than 150 aircraft. However, in recent days no similar incidents have been recorded and Shai did not mention them in his speech.

The United States, Taiwan's major arms supplier, today reiterated its "solid rock" commitment to the island. A United States State Department spokesman said he would "continue to support a peaceful solution" to the situation, "in accordance with the will and interests of the people of Taiwan. We call on Beijing to end its military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan." , Said the speaker.

Taiwan President: "We will maintain the front line of democracy and freedom"

Officially, Taiwan calls itself the Republic of China, the name of the country established in 1912 after the fall of the Qing Dynasty.

Her government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the Civil War to the Communists, who established the present-day People's Republic.

Taiwan will mark tomorrow, the date on which the anti-imperial revolution in China began, its national day.

The president, Tsai Ing-wen, will deliver a keynote speech in Taipei and today she visited an air base in the north of the island.

She thanked the armed forces for their defense of Taiwan, although she did not mention the tensions with China.

"We will continue to work hard to maintain the front line of democracy and freedom," she said.

China, for its part, marks the revolution by mentioning Republican leader Sun Yat-san's calls for patriotism, national renewal and good governance.

Shai took advantage of his speech today to stress the need for "a strong force to lead the country, and that powerful force is the Chinese Communist Party."

He said, "Without the Chinese Communist Party there would be no new China, and therefore there would also be no renewal of the Chinese people."

Shai has tightened the party's control over almost all areas of life and he is expected to continue leading for a third term at the end of next year, when parliament elects a new leadership for the next five years.