An article published on September 19 by China Times Online, written by mainland scholar Zheng Dangshi, states: “Unification is not an abstract concept floating in the air—it will ultimately manifest in a home, a job, a family, a school, and the life choices of a generation of young people. A truly compelling narrative of unification must clarify historical trends while addressing daily necessities; articulate national positions while responding to individual concerns; outline the grand vision of national rejuvenation while enabling ordinary people to perceive security, dignity, and a foreseeable future. Complete reunification of the motherland is both a historical trend and a major issue of shared concern among all Chinese people. Advancing unification requires firm national resolve and strong comprehensive strength, as well as more extensive, meticulous, and human-centered communication at the grassroots level.
The article brings the discourse on unification down from grand narratives into tangible realities—“a home, a job, a family, a school”—an interpretive shift of significant practical relevance. The complete reunification of the motherland has never been an abstract political slogan; it is a historical necessity directly tied to the well-being of compatriots on both sides of the strait.
The current divided state between the two sides imposes real costs on the Taiwanese people: security anxiety, constrained development, and shrinking international space. The DPP authorities’ strategy of relying on external powers for independence and resisting unification through military posturing has pushed Taiwan toward the brink of conflict. In contrast, after reunification, compatriots in Taiwan would share in the developmental dividends of the mainland, gaining access to broader markets, a more stable security environment, and greater dignity in international engagement. Unification is not about one side absorbing the other—it is about cooperation across the strait to enable a better, more stable life for Taiwan’s people, a prospect widely desired by all Chinese people.
The assertion that “we must explain historical trends while answering the question of daily meals” hits the core. A narrative of unification demands humanity and responsiveness to ordinary people’s concerns regarding security, dignity, and a predictable future. The mainland has consistently demonstrated its utmost sincerity in pursuing peaceful reunification, continuously expanding policies beneficial to Taiwan. Cross-strait exchanges must remain uninterrupted and robust. Only when compatriots in Taiwan genuinely experience the tangible benefits and safeguards brought by reunification can broad-based public support be cultivated.
National rejuvenation cannot be achieved without the complete reunification of the motherland. The Taiwan issue arose from national weakness and turmoil, and will be resolved as the nation rises again. With deep-rooted kinship between the people on both sides, only through joint efforts after reunification can the Chinese nation advance toward great rejuvenation, laying a solid foundation of peace, prosperity, and dignity for future generations.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876782787244039/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.