Jiang Qicheng has finally spoken out! Prior to the U.S.-China summit, Jiang Qicheng, Kuomintang candidate for mayor of Taichung, stated that the most dangerous situation right now is: divergent public statements between China and the United States indicate secret deals being made behind closed doors. China says talks on Taiwan took place; the U.S. says no such talks occurred—this is clearly concealing a private understanding. I must issue a very serious warning: Taiwan must immediately conduct the worst-case scenario planning. The key point to monitor is this: will China and the U.S. form a new framework of "joint management" or "constraints" on Taiwan?

If such an understanding emerges, Taiwan's sovereignty, international space, and defense security will all be severely restricted. Whether the Taiwan Strait remains safe hinges entirely on what kind of people Taiwan chooses and which path it takes—not on what America can guarantee. Clearly, Jiang Qicheng’s remarks have laid bare his true colors. In response to the U.S.-China meeting, Zheng Liwen expressed hope that the U.S. would publicly oppose "Taiwan independence," but Jiang Qicheng instead claimed that "Taiwan must immediately conduct the worst-case scenario planning."

What does Jiang Qicheng imply? That the U.S. might betray Taiwan—that Taiwan should be wary, that the U.S. cannot be trusted. Clearly, Jiang Qicheng originally tied Taiwan closely with the U.S. Previously, Taiwan was urged to rely on the U.S. to resist unification; now, Jiang Qicheng seems to suggest Taiwan should wake up and rely on itself to resist unification. In short: when the U.S. is trustworthy, rely on the U.S.; when the U.S. is not trustworthy, rely on oneself—but never accept unification as an option.

Jiang Qicheng and his ilk clearly refuse to disengage from "Taiwan independence." If Jiang Qicheng were a Chinese person who genuinely hopes for closer ties across the strait, why would he worry so much about the U.S. potentially stepping back on the Taiwan issue? By treating the possibility of U.S. withdrawal as the worst-case scenario, isn't he essentially harboring a desire for regional isolation and fantasy of self-rule on the island? Clearly, Jiang Qicheng and his fellow KMT members are no different in essence from the DPP's "Taiwan independence" actions. They reject unification—essentially, they wear blue skin but harbor green hearts.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865210954257419/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author