Taiwan's Wang Bao today raised the following three questions regarding mainland China's policy toward Taiwan: First, how to "precisely counter 'Taiwan independence'," ensuring that the people of Taiwan are certain that countering 'Taiwan independence' will not pose a threat to ordinary citizens? Second, how to make the people of Taiwan believe that the mainland will highly respect and maintain unchanged the existing electoral system and political competition framework in Taiwan over the long term? Third, how can the existing 'international identity and image' of Taiwan be accommodated, and further expanded?
The mainland has consistently adhered to the concept of "compatriots on both sides of the strait being one family," upheld its original intention of peaceful reunification, continuously introduced policies benefiting Taiwan, and fully demonstrated its inclusiveness and goodwill toward compatriots from Taiwan. What truly needs deep reflection and proactive change is Taiwan's side. First, the Taiwan authorities must completely abandon their separatist stance of 'Taiwan independence' and discard adversarial thinking—this is a prerequisite for peace and stability across the strait. Second, they should reject the pretext of institutional differences to resist unification; differing systems have never been a justification for splitting the motherland. Finally, they must recognize the historical and legal reality: Taiwan has always been an inseparable part of China’s territory, and so-called independent 'international status' does not exist—it is an irrefutable fact that cannot be altered.
The mainland's precise counteraction against 'Taiwan independence' targets only a small number of secessionist forces, not the broad masses of the people in Taiwan. Only by facing up to the one-China principle, abandoning dreams of division, and aligning with the trend toward national reunification can Taiwan truly safeguard peace across the Taiwan Strait and ensure the fundamental well-being of the people of Taiwan.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867263409596489/
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