The Chinese president issues a stern warning to Taiwan
The Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday at the opening of the 20th Congress of the ruling Communist Party that the solution to the Taiwan issue belonged to the Chinese people and that China would never give up the right to use force but would strive for a peaceful solution.
China considers democratically governed Taiwan its territory despite strong objections from the government in Taipei, which rejects claims to sovereignty and says only the island’s residents have the right to decide their own future.
Tensions rose sharply in August after China held war games near Taiwan after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei.
These military activities continued, albeit at a low rate.
Xi said China always “respects, cares and benefits” the people of Taiwan and is committed to promoting economic and cultural ties across the Taiwan Straits.
“Resolving the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people and a matter for the Chinese people to decide,” he added.
“We insist on the struggle for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and best efforts but we will never promise to give up the use of force and reserve the option to take all necessary measures”.
The choice, Xi said, targets the issue of interference by outside forces and a very small number of Taiwan independence advocates, not the vast majority of the Taiwanese people.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said in her National Day speech on Monday that war between Taiwan and China was “not at all an option” and reiterated her willingness to hold talks with Beijing.
China refuses to talk to Tsai, which it considers a separatist.
In turn, the presidential office in Taiwan said on Sunday that the self-governing island won’t give up its sovereignty or give up freedom and democracy, and that its people clearly oppose Beijing’s idea of running it according to the principle of “one country, two regimes”.
The Taiwan presidency said in a statement that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region is a joint responsibility of the two sides, and meeting on the battlefield isn’t an option.
